Authored by Randy Pagels, this post demonstrates how to use GitHub Copilot for automating repetitive coding tasks, enabling developers to focus on more engaging work while improving efficiency.

Automate Repetitive Code with GitHub Copilot

By Randy Pagels (randy.pagels@xebia.com)

Posted on Jul 04, 2025

Are you spending too much time writing boilerplate code? GitHub Copilot can help eliminate boring, repetitive tasks by detecting common coding patterns and automating their generation. Whether you’re dealing with loops, API fetch calls, or standard form handling, Copilot is designed to spot repetition and speed up your workflow.

How Copilot Helps With Repetitive Code

Key Steps:

  1. Start Typing a Pattern: Begin by entering the initial lines of a function, loop, or any repeating code pattern.
  2. Pause for Suggestions: Copilot will often anticipate and complete the remaining lines of the repetitive block.
  3. Leverage Natural Language Comments: You can guide Copilot by adding comments such as:

    • C# or JavaScript:

      // Generate a function to fetch user data and handle errors

    • Python:

      # Generate a function to query users by role and handle missing data
  4. Apply Suggestions: Accept Copilot’s recommendation by pressing Tab or Ctrl + Enter (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Enter (Mac), and further refine as needed.

Example Use Case:

  • Instead of writing several API fetch calls manually, type out the first call and let Copilot suggest and generate the rest automatically.

Benefits

  • Reduces Typing: Generate more code with less effort.
  • Minimizes Mistakes: Standard patterns are less prone to manual error.
  • Faster Development: Speeds up repetitive or boilerplate-heavy tasks.

Quick Takeaway

The best code is the code you don’t have to write.

Let GitHub Copilot take over your repetitive tasks so you can concentrate on creative and challenging aspects of development.

Try it: Explore how Copilot can save you time on your next project, and consider sharing your experiences with others!

This post appeared first on “Randy Pagels’s Blog”. Read the entire article here