Copilot vs. Chat: Sidekick Showdown

Posted on Jul 11, 2025

Which should you use for day-to-day coding help: GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT (or Gemini/Copilot Chat)?

Here’s a straight-up look at how each sidekick shines:

GitHub Copilot (inline): Gives you instant code suggestions as you type, in your editor, in context. No need to ask, just start typing!

Copilot Chat, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc (chatbots): Great for explanations, generating multiple variations, asking for architecture, writing docs, or exploring new APIs. Requires you to describe your problem or paste code.

When to use each?

Use Copilot (inline) for quick code, stubs, boilerplate, fixing bugs, and everyday “just get this done” stuff.

Use Chat for: “Explain this bug,” “Refactor this method 3 ways,” “Write a test plan,” or “Why did this code fail?”

ProTip

Don’t make it either/or.
Use both together! Example workflow:

Use Copilot inline for fast suggestions as you build.
When you get stuck, use Copilot Chat or ChatGPT for deeper help, explanations, and “big picture” tasks.
Paste tricky code or errors into chatbots for review and advice.
Bring the best suggestions back to your editor and run/test as usual.

Bottom line: Copilot is your fast-acting code assistant. Chatbots are your talkative, versatile coding partner.
Use both, and you’ll get the best of speed, learning, and creative problem-solving!