Get started with AI-assisted development
Microsoft Learn
Last updated March 6, 2026
This learning path teaches you to use GitHub Copilot inside Visual Studio Code across the full shape of everyday development. Its six modules walk through analyzing existing code, generating inline and project documentation, building new features, writing unit tests, refactoring to improve quality and security, and an introduction to "vibe coding" — driving an app forward mostly through natural-language prompts to the Copilot Agent. The exercises are worked in C# with the C# Dev Kit extension, so the skills are practised on real code rather than described in the abstract.
What you'll learn
- Analyzing and understanding existing code with Copilot in Visual Studio Code
- Generating inline, project, and code-comment documentation
- Developing new features and writing unit tests with Copilot
- Refactoring to improve code quality, performance, and security
- An introduction to prompt-led "vibe coding" with the Copilot Agent
Frequently asked questions about Get started with AI-assisted development
Who is Get started with AI-assisted development for?
Developers with about a year of coding experience and a GitHub Copilot subscription who want to apply it across real development tasks in Visual Studio Code.
Is Get started with AI-assisted development free?
Yes — Get started with AI-assisted development is completely free to take.
What are the prerequisites for Get started with AI-assisted development?
An active GitHub Copilot subscription (a limited free tier exists, but you need a Copilot-enabled GitHub account) and around a year of coding experience; some C# and Visual Studio Code familiarity recommended.
Do you need to code for Get started with AI-assisted development?
Yes — Get started with AI-assisted development involves hands-on coding.
Why we suggest this course
For working developers who want Copilot to genuinely accelerate the tasks that fill a real day — documentation, tests, refactoring, new features — this path goes past the install-and-go demo and into sustained, practical use. It treats AI assistance as part of the development loop, including the newer prompt-led "vibe coding" style. One thing to know: it requires an active GitHub Copilot subscription (there is a limited free tier, but you need a Copilot-enabled GitHub account) and assumes around a year of coding experience, with some C# and Visual Studio Code familiarity recommended.