How to Build a Simple App Using GitHub Copilot in Under 2 Hours

If you’re a solo founder or indie hacker, you know the struggle of turning your ideas into actual products. Time is always tight, and the thought of coding can be daunting. That’s where GitHub Copilot comes in. This AI-powered code assistant can help you build a simple app in under 2 hours. No prior coding experience? No problem. Let’s walk through how to do it efficiently.

Prerequisites: What You Need to Get Started

Before diving in, make sure you have the following:

• GitHub Account: Sign up for free at GitHub.
• Visual Studio Code (VS Code): Download and install VS Code.
• GitHub Copilot: Subscribe to GitHub Copilot, which costs $10/month after a free trial.
• Basic Understanding of JavaScript: Familiarity with JavaScript will help, but Copilot can guide you.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Environment (Estimated Time: 15 minutes)

1. Install VS Code: If you haven’t already, install Visual Studio Code.
2. Install GitHub Copilot: Open VS Code and go to Extensions. Search for “GitHub Copilot” and install it.
3. Create a New Project: In VS Code, open the terminal and run the command:

   mkdir my-simple-app && cd my-simple-app
   

4. Initialize a Git Repository:

   git init
   

5. Create Your Main File: Create a new file named app.js.

Step 2: Letting Copilot Do the Heavy Lifting (Estimated Time: 30 minutes)

Now comes the fun part. Start coding your app with Copilot's help.

1. Define Your App’s Purpose: For example, let’s make a simple to-do list app. In app.js, type:

   // Create a simple to-do list application
   

   Copilot will suggest code snippets. Accept the suggestions by hitting Tab.

2. Building the Core Functionality: Prompt Copilot with comments. For instance:

   // Add a function to add items to the list
   

   Copilot will generate a function for you. You can modify it as needed.

3. Handle User Input: Add comments to guide Copilot:

   // Create a function to display the list items
   

   Accept its suggestions and tweak them to fit your needs.

4. Styling Your App: If you want to add some basic CSS, create a styles.css file and instruct Copilot similarly:

   /* Style for the to-do list */
   

Step 3: Testing Your App (Estimated Time: 15 minutes)

1. Run Your App: Use the command:

   node app.js
   

   Follow any prompts given by Copilot for testing the functionality.

2. Debugging: If something doesn’t work, Copilot can help. For example, if you encounter an error, comment on what you expect:

   // Why is this not displaying the list?
   

   Copilot may suggest fixes.

Step 4: Deploying Your App (Estimated Time: 30 minutes)

1. Choose a Hosting Platform: For simple apps, consider Vercel (free tier available) or Netlify (free tier available).
2. Deploy: Follow the platform's instructions to connect your GitHub repo and deploy your app.

What Could Go Wrong?

• Dependencies Issues: If you encounter issues with package installations, ensure you have Node.js installed.
• Functionality Bugs: Use console logs to debug. If Copilot's suggestions don’t work, modify them based on your understanding of JavaScript.

What’s Next?

Once your app is live, think about features you could add. Consider implementing user authentication, a database for storing tasks, or even a mobile-friendly version.

Conclusion: Start Here

Building a simple app using GitHub Copilot is not just possible but surprisingly straightforward. You can realistically achieve this in under 2 hours if you follow the steps above. Start with a small project, and let Copilot guide you through the coding process.

What We Actually Use

For our projects, we lean heavily on GitHub Copilot for rapid prototyping, alongside Vercel for deployment. We also use Postman for API testing when we scale our apps.