Do I need prior experience with GitHub Copilot?

No prior Copilot experience is required. The course starts with foundational conversational prompting concepts before progressing to advanced multi-file context techniques. Basic familiarity with any code editor is sufficient.

Will this course help me if I already use GitHub Copilot for basic completions?

Yes. Most developers use Copilot for single-shot completions and miss the conversational capabilities. This course teaches multi-turn interaction patterns, iterative refinement, and context management strategies that significantly improve the quality and relevance of generated code.

What programming languages are used in the course?

Demonstrations use Python with frameworks like FastAPI, but the prompting techniques apply to any language supported by GitHub Copilot. The focus is on interaction patterns and context strategies rather than language-specific syntax.

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

GitHub: Advanced Prompt Engineering for Code

This course is part of Mastering GitHub Specialization

Instructor: Alfredo Deza

Included with

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3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

3 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

3 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Structure multi-turn GitHub Copilot conversations that build context incrementally and produce more accurate code than single-shot prompts
Apply iterative refinement techniques like scope narrowing, error correction, and follow-up prompting to transform code into production-ready output
Leverage cross-file context, open editor tabs, and specification-driven generation to work effectively across large and unfamiliar codebases

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

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Shareable certificate

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Mastering GitHub Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

Move beyond basic code completions and learn to use GitHub Copilot as a conversational development partner. This course teaches you how to structure multi-turn interactions that build context incrementally, producing more accurate and relevant code than single-shot prompts. You will master iterative refinement techniques that transform rough initial outputs into production-quality code through structured follow-up prompts and scope narrowing.

The course covers the three Copilot interaction modes — Ask, Edit, and Agent — and when to use each for maximum effectiveness. You will learn to control context precisely using chat inputs like @workspace references, #file markers, and open editor tabs. Advanced topics include generating API documentation directly from code, creating implementation code from API specifications, and navigating unknown codebases using structured Copilot conversations. Each technique is demonstrated with real-world projects in Visual Studio Code, giving you practical patterns you can apply immediately to your own development workflow. A capstone project synthesizes all techniques into an end-to-end AI-assisted development scenario.