GitHub makes AI Copilot free for VS Code developers — with limits

Microsoft code repository subsidiary GitHub announces launch GitHub Copilot Freeis an accessible version of its popular AI coding assistant, now integrated directly into Visual Studio Code (VS Code) Integrated development environment (IDE).

Recall that Github first launched a Copilot version of the Codex code completion model based on OpenAI Back to 2022before the launch of ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, and has been steadily updated since then.

VS Code’s new free tier aims to expand Artificial intelligence driven Code Completion Assistant covers a broader group of developers—those with limited use needs and tight budgets.

This announcement coincides with the milestone of 150 million developers on the GitHub platform.

CEO Thomas Dohmke said the move builds on GitHub’s history of providing free tools to the developer community.

Previously, GitHub offered free repositories, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) minutes, and Codespaces. Copilot Free adds another layer to these products aimed at casual users or small projects.

Copilot Free follows GitHub’s offering of free, unlimited access to the more feature-rich and less restrictive Copilot Pro ($10 per seat per month) to students, educators, and open source maintainers. The company said it will continue to provide Copilot Pro for free to these users.

GitHub Copilot Free Features

GitHub Copilot Free provides users with 2,000 code completions and 50 chat messages per month, which can be accessed after logging in with a personal GitHub account.

service leverage Advanced Artificial Intelligence Modelincluding Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o.

These models enable developers to get help with coding issues, debug existing code, or enable editing across multiple files. However, for those looking to use advanced AI models such as Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro and OpenAI’s o1-preview, they will need to move to Pro and other paid plans.

The new free tier includes:

• Multiple file editing: Users can make changes to multiple files through Copilot Edits, an editor that combines conversational chat with code generation.

• Terminal assistance: Copilot can interpret errors, fix failed commands, and even suggest shell scripts via terminal chat.

• Custom instructions: Developers can define coding preferences at the project or editor level to ensure consistent code production based on specific frameworks or guidelines.

• Voice command: The built-in voice interface allows users to interact with Copilot hands-free, using voice commands to prototype applications or debug code.

• Project situational awareness: Copilot’s AI participants can provide assistance based on a comprehensive understanding of the entire code base.

Availability and future plans

The free version of GitHub Copilot is available immediately in VS Code and GitHub.com. Developers only need a GitHub account to get started.

In addition to these products, GitHub also previewed an advanced feature called Vision Copilot. The tool enables developers to generate user interfaces from screenshots or markup, streamlining the design-to-code workflow.

Although still in preview, Vision Copilot requires users to provide their own API keys to access AI services.

A commitment to developer empowerment

GitHub’s launch of Copilot Free reflects its ongoing commitment to empowering developers. As part of the announcement, Dohmke emphasized the company’s mission to lower barriers for the global developer community.

The free tier complements the growing number of artificial intelligence tools integrated into VS Code, providing practical solutions to everyday challenges such as debugging, naming conventions, and commit message generation.

For those interested in exploring GitHub Copilot Free features, you can enable the service directly in VS Code or access it through the GitHub dashboard.