GitHub Copilot vs ChatGPT
The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has changed how we all work. In this article I want to look at two of the most talked about tools within Developer and Infrastructure as Code writer circles, GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT.
Should you use one over the other to write code, or both? In this article we’ll break down the differences and how the tools work in your workflow.
What is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant that is integrated directly into your integrated development environment (IDE) such as Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio or JetBrains. It helps to provide you with context aware code completions, function generation and can even help you write documentation for your project.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that has been built by OpenAI that can generate human-like text and images based on prompts. There are a lot of use cases people are using ChatGPT for, writing social media posts, generating code snippets and beyond.
Unlike GitHub Copilot ChatGPT isn’t tied to your IDE - it’s accessed via a web browser or an API.
GitHub Copilot vs ChatGPT
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GitHub Copilot is great for helping you work within the context of a project, you can ask it to look over all your project files and generate a Readme file or relevant .gitignore file. Or you can use natural language and ask it to generate all your code for you.
ChatGPT is great for helping you to understand unfamiliar concepts, brainstorming project ideas or getting tutorials.
How they fit together
The real magic happens when you use both.
Imagine you’re building a new project: GitHub Copilot helps you move quickly inside your IDE, writing functions, generating boilerplate files, and filling in the gaps. Meanwhile, ChatGPT sits alongside as a teacher and problem-solver, ready to explain a tricky concept, suggest a different approach, or help brainstorm what comes next.
One accelerates your workflow, the other broadens your understanding. Used together, they make coding faster, smarter, and more enjoyable.
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If you found this comparison useful, I dive even deeper into AI tools, Infrastructure as Code, and practical Azure tips on my blog: www.techielass.com. Check it out for more in-depth tutorials and insights!
GitHub copilot is evolving also. Coupled with Claude opus - it is becoming more powerful. There are also other coding tools such as windsurf, replit, etc which are also contenders to GitHub copilot. I've used GCopilot extensively and seeing the evolution unfold is quite interesting.
I've been finding Github Copilot the best of the AI tools at the moment! The way it understands code context to provide potential variables, all inside the IDE is a game changer ✨