Microsoft Releases GitHub Copilot as Open Source for Visual Studio Code

Microsoft Releases GitHub Copilot as Open Source for Visual Studio Code

Microsoft Opens GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code to Open Source Community

During the inaugural day of the BUILD 2025 conference, Microsoft made a significant announcement: GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code is now open source. This development enables developers worldwide to access the code, fostering opportunities for innovation, customization, and collaboration in software projects.

By integrating the AI features of the GitHub Copilot extensions into the Visual Studio Code open-source repository, Microsoft is reinforcing its dedication to transparency and community-driven innovation. The tech giant stated that this initiative represents their commitment to empowering developers to take an active role in shaping the future of AI-assisted programming.

Transforming GitHub Copilot into an Intelligent AI Partner

This announcement highlights more than just open-source accessibility; Microsoft is also evolving GitHub Copilot from a basic in-editor assistant to a robust AI partner. This upgraded version will feature an autonomous and asynchronous AI developer agent capable of conducting tests, iterating, and refining code independently. This transformation positions GitHub Copilot not merely as a tool, but as a collaborative teammate in the development process.

Additionally, this iteration will include organization-level control models, allowing developers to work securely while experimenting within guidelines. This structure will let teams delegate both routine and specialized tasks to the AI efficiently.

Getting Started with GitHub Copilot

If you haven’t explored GitHub Copilot within Visual Studio Code yet, now is a great time to start. Simply download Visual Studio Code for your preferred operating system—Windows, Mac, or Linux. Once installed, you can access the GitHub Copilot tool and log into your GitHub account.

The free tier is notably generous, providing users with up to 50 agent mode or chat requests per month along with 2, 000 completions monthly. Users also gain access to various advanced models such as Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o. For those who require higher usage, paid tiers are available to accommodate additional demands.

Embrace this opportunity to enhance your development workflow with GitHub Copilot and harness the potential of open-source innovations.

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