GitHub, the leading platform for developers globally, has introduced GitHub Copilot Free for Visual Studio Code (VS Code). The announcement coincides with the platform surpassing an impressive milestone of 150 million developers.
“With GitHub Copilot Free in VS Code, India can fast-track its journey to becoming the largest developer community worldwide. But this requires collective effort,” said Thomas Dohmke, CEO of GitHub. “This initiative aims to empower individuals in India to code seamlessly using natural language, backed by Copilot’s capabilities.”
Features of GitHub Copilot Free in VS Code
The new free tier, now automatically integrated into VS Code, provides all GitHub users with access to:
- 2,000 code completions per month
- 50 chat messages monthly
These features are available by signing in with a personal GitHub account or creating a new one. Developers can choose between Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o models to assist with coding tasks such as identifying bugs, explaining code, and performing multi-file edits.
Expanded Accessibility with Copilot Chat
Copilot Chat is now integrated into the GitHub dashboard and works seamlessly with GitHub Copilot Free. This ensures developers can ask questions, receive guidance, and use third-party agents to enhance productivity directly within their existing workflows.
Continuing GitHub’s Legacy of Free Tools
The launch of Copilot Free reflects GitHub’s commitment to offering free tools that enable innovation. Over the years, GitHub has provided:
- Free access to open-source and public collaboration
- Free private repositories
- Free GitHub Actions and Codespaces minutes
- Free storage for packages and releases
Unlimited Access for Students and Educators
Students, educators, and open-source maintainers will continue to benefit from Copilot Pro accounts at no cost, ensuring they have unlimited access to premium features.
