Code referencing now generally available in GitHub Copilot and with Microsoft Azure AI

When people think of developers using public code, they often think of developers taking code that has already been written and building on it to create something new. It is quicker to build something than build on it NothingRight? While this is transactionally true, there is more to it than that. At the heart of open source culture is not just the use of public code, but also the ability to explore the repository in which it exists, learn more about the origin of the code, see who else is contributing to the code has worked to improve knowledge sharing in the community and understand possible licensing structures.

With the emergence and scope of new AI technology solutions like GitHub Copilot, the way developers work is changing, and with these changes it is important to incorporate the habits and practices that developers value into new ways of working. In this case, identifying countless sources where code could appear required the creation of a new solution – one that allows developers to prioritize these assets while promoting learning and knowledge sharing at scale.

GitHub development teams got to work today to resolve this issue We’re announcing the general availability of code referencing in the GitHub Copilot Chat And GitHub Copilot code completions. Developers can now choose to block suggestions with matching code or allow suggestions with information about the matches. This feature is currently available in VS Code and will be available more widely soon.

This is how code referencing works

We’re also excited to announce that GitHub has partnered with Microsoft Azure blue to expose the code referencing API in Azure AI Content Safety. Azure AI Content Safety users can use this feature via Protected material detection for code Filter. We believe in transparency as a core value of the open source community and want to ensure this capability is available to everyone, no matter what tool you use.

Whether you use GitHub Copilot or other generative AI tools that leverage the code referencing API, you can rely on transparency to make informed development decisions for each project.

Why code referencing is important

The power of code referencing for individual developers

The Power of Code Referencing for Business

Copilot helps organizations Innovate faster than ever before. To help companies innovate responsibly, administrators have always had the ability to block suggestions that match public code. Using this filter ensures that customers are protected by GitHub’s indemnification obligation.

For development teams that want to benefit from the power of learning code referencing, GitHub’s compensation now extends to the use of code referencing if GitHub Copilot Business or GitHub Copilot Enterprise customers comply with the stated licenses. This means Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise customers can expand Copilot context, usage and effectiveness of their teams while maintaining existing contractual protections.

We worked together to make code referencing a reality, not just for GitHub but for all AI development tools, and were guided by the values ​​that the open source community has long cherished and upheld – that of showing up and sharing information can drive innovation in new and groundbreaking ways. As we continue to expand and scale our capabilities with AI, GitHub is excited to provide developers with greater transparency, knowledge sharing, and tools for innovation.

Written by