GitHub Copilot gets major updates: Agent Mode & Copilot Edits for smarter code assistance

GitHub has rolled out substantial updates to its AI-powered coding assistant, GitHub Copilot, introducing two pivotal features: Agent Mode and Copilot Edits.

Agent Mode allows Copilot to autonomously modify its own code, enhancing its capability to support developers beyond direct input. This mode includes terminal command suggestions and runtime error analysis, enabling Copilot to suggest and execute necessary code even if not explicitly requested by the user. To activate Agent Mode, developers need to download VS Code Insiders, enable the Agent Mode setting in GitHub Copilot Chat, and switch from Edit to Agent in the Copilot Edits panel. GitHub aims to extend Agent Mode to all IDEs supporting Copilot.

Additionally, Copilot Edits is now available in Visual Studio Code, allowing developers to edit multiple files simultaneously using natural language instructions. This feature combines chat-based and inline editing through a dual-model architecture, offering context-aware edit suggestions and quick application of modifications. Users can choose from various foundation models such as GPT-4o, o1, o3-mini, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini 2.0 Flash to customize Copilot’s behavior. GitHub's future plans for Copilot Edits include performance improvements, seamless transitions from Copilot Chat, better file selection options, and an undo feature for suggested changes.