What is GitHub Copilot used for?

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant and agent that works in editors, the terminal, on desktop and on GitHub, from issue to pull request. It is a good fit for writing and reviewing code with AI help, and delegating issues to a coding agent.

Is GitHub Copilot free?

Yes. GitHub Copilot has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per month.

Is GitHub Copilot open source?

No. GitHub Copilot is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to GitHub Copilot include OpenCode, Codex CLI and Kilo Code.

What are some alternatives to GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot competes with Cursor, Claude Code and Amazon Q Developer. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source GitHub Copilot alternatives.

GitHub Copilot: features, pricing and alternatives

About GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is GitHub's AI coding tool. The vendor describes it as an AI coding agent that can help at every step of development, from picking up an open issue to reviewing and merging a pull request. It can be used in a code editor, in the terminal, in a desktop app and on GitHub itself.

Related products on the GitHub platform include the GitHub Copilot app, which directs agents from issue to merge, and Copilot CLI for the command line. GitHub also offers an MCP Registry for integrating external tools, and a Copilot for Business add-on with enterprise features for organizations.

Copilot is a hosted commercial service delivered through GitHub accounts and cannot be self-hosted. Plans are listed on GitHub's pricing page.

Key features

AI code suggestions in editors
Agent that works from issue to pull request
Copilot CLI for the terminal
Desktop Copilot app
Use directly on GitHub
MCP Registry for external tools
Copilot for Business add-on

Good fit for

→Writing and reviewing code with AI help
→Delegating issues to a coding agent

Tags: ai-coding; code-assistant; github; copilot; developer-tools; coding-agent; cli

GitHub Copilot: questions and answers

What is GitHub Copilot used for?: GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant and agent that works in editors, the terminal, on desktop and on GitHub, from issue to pull request. It is a good fit for writing and reviewing code with AI help, and delegating issues to a coding agent.
Is GitHub Copilot free?: Yes. GitHub Copilot has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per month.
Is GitHub Copilot open source?: No. GitHub Copilot is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to GitHub Copilot include OpenCode, Codex CLI and Kilo Code.
What are some alternatives to GitHub Copilot?: GitHub Copilot competes with Cursor, Claude Code and Amazon Q Developer. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source GitHub Copilot alternatives.