GitHub Copilot Chat cheat sheet

This version of this article is for Copilot in Visual Studio Code. For other versions of this article, click the tabs above.

About GitHub Copilot enhancements

You can enhance your experience of Copilot Chat with a variety of commands and options. Finding the right command or option for the task you are working on can help you achieve your goals more efficiently. This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to the most common commands and options for using Copilot Chat.

For information about how to get started with Copilot Chat in Visual Studio Code, see Asking GitHub Copilot questions in your IDE.

Slash commands

Use slash commands to avoid writing complex prompts for common scenarios. To use a slash command, type / in the chat prompt box, followed by the command name.

Available slash commands may vary, depending on your environment and the context of your chat. To view a list of currently available slash commands, type / in the chat prompt box of your current environment. Below is a list of some of the most common slash commands for using Copilot Chat.

Command	Description
/clear	Start a new chat session.
/explain	Explain how the code in your active editor works.
/fix	Propose a fix for problems in the selected code.
/fixTestFailure	Find and fix a failing test.
/help	Quick reference and basics of using GitHub Copilot.
/new	Create a new project.
/tests	Generate unit tests for the selected code.

Chat variables

Use chat variables to include specific context in your prompt. To use a chat variable, type # in the chat prompt box, followed by a chat variable.

Variable	Description
#block	Includes the current block of code in the prompt.
#class	Includes the current class in the prompt.
#comment	Includes the current comment in the prompt.
#file	Includes the current file's content in the prompt.
#function	Includes the current function or method in the prompt.
#line	Includes the current line of code in the prompt.
#path	Includes the file path in the prompt.
#project	Includes the project context in the prompt.
#selection	Includes the currently selected text in the prompt.
#sym	Includes the current symbol in the prompt.

Chat participants

Chat participants are like domain experts who have a specialty that they can help you with. You can specify a chat participant by typing @ in the chat prompt box, followed by a chat participant name. To see all available chat participants, type @ in the chat prompt box.

Below is a list of some of the most common chat participants for using Copilot Chat.

Variable	Description
@azure	Has context about Azure services and how to use, deploy and manage them. Use @azure when you want help with Azure. The @azure chat participant is currently in public preview and is subject to change.
@github	Allows you to use GitHub-specific Copilot skills. See Asking GitHub Copilot questions in your IDE.
@terminal	Has context about the Visual Studio Code terminal shell and its contents. Use @terminal when you want help creating or debugging terminal commands.
@vscode	Has context about Visual Studio Code commands and features. Use @vscode when you want help with Visual Studio Code.
@workspace	Has context about the code in your workspace. Use @workspace when you want Copilot to consider the structure of your project, how different parts of your code interact, or design patterns in your project.