GitHub Copilot for Azure: 6 Must-Try Features

As developers, we are constantly seeking tools that streamline our workflows and boost productivity.

… Enter GitHub Copilot for Azure, now in Public Preview!

A new addition to your toolkit that seamlessly integrates with GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio Code. Let’s break down some of the details

• What is it?: You can think of it as your personal assistant for navigating the Azure cloud.
• Pain Point Solved: Instead of switching between your IDE and the Azure portal many times to manage infrastructure and services, you can stay right in your IDE where you are working.
• Pain Point Solved: Instead of opening the 10^th browser tab of documentation for services, commands and arguments, you can stay right in your IDE where you are working.
• How do I use it: Ask ‘@azure’ in GitHub Copilot Chat

In this blog, we will explore six must-try features of GitHub Copilot for Azure, showcasing how it can enhance your development experience and optimize your cloud projects. From discovering Azure services to querying AI models and planning migrations, these features will empower you to achieve more with less effort.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.1 - Discovering Azure Services and AI Templates

Dan is a developer, and he wants to deploy containers to Azure but doesn’t know where to start. Using GitHub Copilot for Azure in Visual Studio Code, he's guided through the process of selecting an Azure service for containers, given commands that can be used to deploy sample solutions, and even provided with samples that include Azure AI features he’d like to integrate into his solution.  

Check out the video below to see what prompts Dan used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.2 – Deploying to Azure with Context

April developed a Django app in VS Code and plans to deploy it on Azure. Using GitHub Copilot for Azure, she found helpful documentation. She provided code context and prompts to the extension, which then gave necessary code changes and terminal commands to deploy the project on Azure.

Check out the video below to see what prompts April used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.3 – Understanding and Managing Your Models in Azure AI

Bethany, an AI Engineer, wants to work with the latest AI models on Azure alongside her team. She investigates all available Azure AI Services, checks if GPT-4o models are already deployed in her team’s subscription for potential reuse in development and testing, and finally explores deploying a new GPT-4o mini model.

Check out the video below to see what prompts Bethany used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.4 – Exploring Your Azure Resources

Amy, an Azure Administrator, manages her team's subscriptions. She uses GitHub Copilot for Azure to explore her accessible subscriptions and deployed resource groups through natural language queries. She finds the Azure Resource Graph queries useful for immediate use or future reference.

Check out the video below to see what prompts Amy used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.5 – Planning a Migration to Azure

Gwen, a cloud engineer, needs to migrate a SQL Server from an on-premises environment to the cloud, prioritizing HIPAA compliance and limiting downtime. GitHub Copilot for Azure suggests a suitable Azure service and tools like Azure Database Migration Service. It creates a migration plan with links and documentation. After deployment, the extension provides details of the deployed instances for her code.

Check out the video below to see what prompts Gwen used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

GitHub Copilot for Azure Feature No.6 – Deploying to Azure Kubernetes Service

Dan needs to deploy a containerized application to Azure Kubernetes Service but needs to know how to get started creating a cluster. Using the GitHub Copilot for Azure and Azure Kubernetes Services extensions in VS Code, he’s able to create a new cluster without leaving the editor. Once the cluster is created, he can then use GitHub Copilot for Azure to help him deploy an app manifest.

Check out the video below to see what prompts Dan used and the helpful responses returned by GitHub Copilot for Azure.

You’ve now seen our must-try features of GitHub Copilot for Azure, now we want to hear from you! Download the extension in the VS Code marketplace and give it a spin: https://aka.ms/GetGitHubCopilotForAzure

To learn more about the new GitHub Copilot for Azure extension, check out the Streamline Your Azure Workflow: Introducing GitHub Copilot for Azure in VS Code blog post.