GitHub Copilot Quick Reference Guide

Slash Commands

Command	Description	Example
`/fix`	Ask Copilot to fix issues in your code	`/fix This code has a bug where it doesn't handle empty arrays`
`/explain`	Request an explanation of selected code	`/explain What does this regex pattern do?`
`/tests`	Generate tests for selected code	`/tests Generate unit tests for this function`
`/doc`	Generate documentation for selected code	`/doc Create JSDoc for this function`
`/optimize`	Suggest optimizations for your code	`/optimize This function is slow with large inputs`
`/clear`	Clear the current conversation	`/clear`

Command	Description	Example
`@workspace`	Reference your entire workspace	`How do I use the User class from @workspace?`
`@file:<path>`	Reference a specific file	`Help me understand @file:src/utils/helpers.js`
`@selection`	Reference currently selected code	`Refactor @selection to use async/await`
`@clipboard`	Reference content in clipboard	`Create tests for @clipboard`
`#<n>`	Reference a specific message	`Can you elaborate on what you meant in #2?`

Intent	Description	Example Prompt
Generate	Create new code from scratch	`Generate a React component for a navigation bar`
Complete	Finish partially written code	`Complete this function to parse CSV data`
Transform	Convert code from one form to another	`Convert this JavaScript function to TypeScript`
Refactor	Restructure existing code	`Refactor this to use the strategy pattern`
Debug	Find and fix issues in code	`Debug why this function throws on empty input`
Explain	Understand what code does	`Explain this recursive algorithm`

Be specific - Include language, framework, and expected behavior

Good: Generate a Python function using pandas that cleans CSV data by removing duplicates

Bad: Write a function to process data
Provide context - Mention relevant information about your codebase

Good: Our app uses Express for routing. Add an endpoint to handle user registration

Bad: Add a signup endpoint
Use formatting in prompts for clarity:
- Backticks for code: `variable_name`
- Triple backticks for code blocks: ```code here```
- Bullets/numbers for lists of requirements
Include examples of expected inputs/outputs:
The function should convert "2023-01-15" to "Jan 15, 2023"
Request iterations if needed:
Let's refine this further by adding error handling
Specify constraints:
Generate a solution that doesn't use external libraries
This needs to be compatible with Python 3.8+

Chain intents: Refactor this function to use async/await, then optimize it for performance
Mix commands: /explain this code, then @workspace how it integrates with our authentication system
Specify output format: Generate a function and provide example usage as comments
Request iterations: Let's refine this further by adding error handling