Randy Pagels shares actionable strategies for using GitHub Copilot more effectively by improving the questions you ask, including real-world examples and prompt optimization tips.

Ask Better Questions, Get Better Code

Posted on Apr 04, 2025 by Randy Pagels

When working with GitHub Copilot, the way you phrase your questions can make a significant difference in the quality of responses you receive. This guide offers practical advice for asking targeted questions to get better code suggestions from Copilot.

Be Direct—Ask Copilot Chat Exactly What You Need

The more specific and clear your prompt, the more helpful Copilot’s response will be.

Examples:

Instead of: Fix this
- Try: This function is timing out, can you suggest a more efficient approach?
Instead of: Add comments
- Try: Add inline comments that explain this logic to someone new to the codebase.

Using Copilot to Refine Prompts

You can leverage Copilot itself to write or review your prompts:

Example prompt: Help me write a clear prompt to generate a validation function that checks email and phone number formats.
For complex instructions: Is this a good prompt? If not, suggest a better one.

Quick Takeaway

GitHub Copilot is most effective when you treat it as a knowledgeable coding teammate. The clarity of your request often determines the quality of the result.

If your output from Copilot isn’t what you expected, try rephrasing your prompt for better alignment.

Have a great prompt that consistently yields useful results? Share it with your peers to help everyone benefit!

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