GitHub Copilot Coding Agent: Build, Test, and Ship Code Fast

Name: GitHub Copilot Coding Agent: Build, Test, and Ship Code Fast
Rating: 4.5 (1363 reviews)

Learn how to use GitHub Copilot Coding Agent to easily automate development, testing, and DevOps tasks with AI

Created byBryan Krausen - 250,000+ Enrollments Worldwide

Last updated 10/2025

English

Czech [Auto],Danish [Auto],

What you'll learn

Enable and configure GitHub Copilot Agent Mode in Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio
Write effective prompts to guide Agent Mode through coding, testing, and deployment tasks
Automate multi-step workflows, including multi-file edits, bug fixes, and running tests
Identify when to use Agent Mode vs. Edit Mode for maximum productivity

Course content

6 sections • 20 lectures • 1h 40m total length

Welcome to the Course4:50
Learn to build, test, and ship code faster with the GitHub Copilot coding agent through quick lessons, hands-on labs, and practical, repeatable workflows.
Download the Course Slides HERE!0:06

The Agentic Paradigm Shift8:28
What is GitHub Copilot Coding Agent?5:28
Prerequisites, Access Requirements, and Limitations7:04
Coding Agent vs. Agent Mode7:43
Compare coding agent and agent mode in GitHub Copilot: coding agent runs in the cloud to plan, edit, test, and open a pull request, while agent mode guides in-editor edits.
Signing up for GitHub Copilot Pro for Personal Accounts3:57
Upgrade your personal account to GitHub Copilot Pro or Pro Plus to access the coding agent across IDE, CLI, and mobile, while tracking premium requests and budgets to control costs.
Our First Run - Mini Demo10:36
Demonstrate the GitHub Copilot coding agent transforming a Python Tetris game in VS Code by adding scoring, detailed blocks, and slower fall speed, with issue tracking and PR workflow.
Quiz - Meet the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent

The Standard Issue Assignment3:17
Create a new issue describing required updates to block visuals, apply simple polish, and lock render and game speed, then assign Copilot to the issue on main with supporting files.
Making Requests using Agent Tasks2:21
learn to describe tasks for the GitHub Copilot coding agent in the agents panel, choosing repository and branch, without opening an issue, and monitor progress toward a pull request.
Seeding a New Repository with Copilot Coding Agent4:43
Assigning Tasks to Copilot Agent using VS Code7:01
Learn to assign tasks to the GitHub Copilot coding agent directly from VS Code using the GitHub Pull Requests extension, and create a light/dark mode toggle for a Tetris game.
Yet Another Way to Assign Tasks to Coding Agent within VS Code2:40
Assign tasks to the copilot coding agent directly in VS Code by using the GitHub extension to attach issues, assign Copilot, and monitor PRs.
Monitoring Progress and Iteration6:23
Observe how the Copilot Coding Agent monitors tasks through session logs and view sessions, leveraging playwright MCP server to plan, build a Python pong game with pygame, and run tests.

Improve Outputs using Copilot Custom Instructions7:21
Customize copilot with a repository-wide markdown file to embed your tech stack and coding guidelines. Add a root agents.md for run and test instructions, boosting output alignment with your architecture.
Customizing the Agent's Development Environment4:57
Configure the cloud based ephemeral development environment for the Copilot agent by pre-warming it with a GitHub Actions workflow (Copilot setup steps YAML) to install Node.js and dependencies before tests.
How to Set Environment Variables for GitHub Copilot4:30
Set environment variables and secrets for the copilot coding agent in a reserved GitHub actions environment to securely authenticate with private services and API keys in your workflow.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) Integration7:58
Learn how model context protocol (MCP) feeds live, repo-specific information from private repositories, internal knowledge bases, and APIs into the coding agent to improve plans and code.

Requirements

Basic familiarity with writing and editing code in any language (JavaScript, Python, Java, etc.)
Experience using Visual Studio Code or Visual Studio is helpful but not required
A GitHub account (free or paid) to access GitHub Copilot features
An interest in using AI-powered tools to improve productivity and streamline workflows

Description

What if you could open a GitHub issue, describe the outcome you want, and come back to a draft PR with tests run and changes ready to review? That’s the promise of the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent. This course is a hands-on guide to delegating real work to an agent that operates in the cloud - planning tasks, updating multiple files, running checks with GitHub Actions, and iterating based on your feedback - so you ship faster with less context-switching.

What You’ll Learn:

Best practices on how to use the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent to your advantage
When to use the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent vs. Agent Mode and how to combine both for maximum efficiency.
Learn the sweet-spot tasks that are ideal for the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent
How to enable and configure the Coding Agent for a repository within your GitHub Organization/Enterprise
Writing high-signal issues (clear goals, constraints, acceptance criteria) that the agent can turn into reliable PRs.
Providing additional context to the Coding Agent to ensure the Coding Agent follows your organzation's standards
Guiding runs: reviewing plans and diffs, giving feedback in comments, and re-running tasks safely.
Automating multi-file changes, test execution, and CI workflows - without living in your IDE.
Configure the Coding Agent to work with MCP to connect to external data and increase capabilities beyond GitHub

By the end, you’ll confidently direct the Coding Agent from idea → issue → draft PR, keeping control over quality while offloading the busywork.

Who this course is for:

Developers curious about AI-powered coding tools
Teams adopting GitHub Copilot and seeking real-world Agent Mode examples
Anyone who wants to write, test, and ship code faster and more efficiently

GitHub Copilot Coding Agent: Build, Test, and Ship Code Fast

What you'll learn

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Course content

Course Introduction2 lectures • 5min

Meet the GitHub Copilot Coding Agent (What It Is & Why It Matters)6 lectures • 43min

Launching and Tracking Agentic Tasks6 lectures • 26min

Advanced Customization and Control4 lectures • 25min

Course Wrap-Up1 lecture • 1min

BONUS1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

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