GitHub, the Microsoft-owned code hosting platform, is giving developers more choice when it comes to the AI models powering its Copilot coding assistant. The company also unveiled GitHub Spark, a new tool for AI-assisted app development, at its Universe '24 developer conference.
Developers using GitHub's AI-powered coding assistant, Copilot, will soon have the option to choose between Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro, and various OpenAI models like GPT-4o and the o1 models.
"There is no one model to rule every scenario, and developers expect the agency to build with the models that work best for them," explained GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke.
While Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet is available immediately, Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro is set to follow in the coming weeks. Developers will be able to switch between models during a conversation with Copilot Chat.
GitHub Spark: A new platform for AI-powered app development
GitHub Spark is a new platform designed to enable even less experienced developers to create micro-apps using natural language. These apps, called "Sparks," can integrate AI capabilities and external data sources without the need to manage cloud resources.
Video: GitHub
"For too long, there has been an unscalable barrier of entry separating a vast majority of the world’s population from building software," said Dohmke. GitHub Spark aims to empower over a billion PC and smartphone users to develop their own micro-apps.
New features for developers
GitHub also announced several new features. Copilot in VS Code will gain the ability to edit multiple files simultaneously. Copilot Extensions, which enables the integration of developer tools like Atlassian Rovo, Docker, Sentry, and Stack Overflow, will be available to all users in early 2025.
Another addition is a code review feature that provides feedback within 30 seconds. Developers can also set individual instructions for Copilot Chat to tailor responses to their preferred tools and coding conventions.
Python overtakes JavaScript
GitHub's Octoverse report reveals that Python has surpassed JavaScript as the most-used programming language on the platform, reflecting the growing importance of AI development.
The number of public generative AI projects on GitHub has increased by 98 percent year-over-year, with particularly strong growth in India, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. More than one million students, teachers, and open-source developers are using GitHub Copilot as part of a free access program.
