GitHub Copilot Enterprise Workshop

Audience: Enterprise developers and technical resources
Duration: Two days (9:00 AM - 4:00 PM each day)
Prerequisites: VS Code installed, GitHub Copilot license (Business/Enterprise), GitHub.com account

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Schedule

Day 1

Time	Module	Duration	Format
9:00 - 9:15	Welcome & Foundations	15 min	Presentation
9:15 - 10:00	Module 1: Copilot in VS Code - Core Experience	45 min	Demo + Hands-on
10:00 - 10:15	Break	15 min
10:15 - 11:15	Module 2: Copilot Chat - Deep Dive	60 min	Demo + Hands-on
11:15 - 12:00	Module 3: Copilot on GitHub.com (GHEC)	45 min	Demo + Hands-on
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch	60 min
1:00 - 2:00	Module 4: Customization - Instructions & Prompt Files	60 min	Demo + Hands-on
2:00 - 2:15	Break	15 min
2:15 - 3:30	Module 5: Agent Mode & Custom Agents	75 min	Demo + Hands-on
3:30 - 4:00	Day 1 recap & Q&A	30 min	Discussion

Day 2

Time	Module	Duration	Format
9:00 - 10:00	Module 6: Code Dev & Scaffolding	60 min	Demo + Hands-on
10:00 - 10:15	Break	15 min
10:15 - 11:15	Module 7: Debugging & Defect RCA	60 min	Demo + Hands-on
11:15 - 12:00	Module 8: Unit Test Framework & Generation (part 1)	45 min	Demo + Hands-on
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch	60 min
1:00 - 1:30	Module 8: Unit Test Framework & Generation (part 2)	30 min	Demo + Hands-on
1:30 - 1:45	Break	15 min
1:45 - 3:30	Wrap-up, Q&A & Next Steps	105 min	Discussion

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Learning Objectives by Module

Welcome & Foundations (15 min)

• Understand what GitHub Copilot is and how it fits into the enterprise software development lifecycle
• Identify the different Copilot plans (Business vs Enterprise) and their capabilities
• Understand Copilot's privacy, security, and IP indemnity guarantees for enterprise use

Module 1: Copilot in VS Code - Core Experience (45 min)

• Receive and accept inline code suggestions using Tab, partial accept, and next edit suggestions
• Write effective comment-driven prompts that produce accurate code completions
• Navigate alternative suggestions and understand when to accept, modify, or reject them
• Apply Copilot code suggestions to real enterprise tasks: CRUD operations, data transformations, and boilerplate reduction

Module 2: Copilot Chat - Deep Dive (60 min)

• Use Chat participants (@workspace, @terminal, @github), slash commands, and chat variables to craft precise prompts
• Distinguish between Ask, Edit, Agent, and Plan modes and select the right one for a given task
• Generate, explain, and fix code using Copilot Chat with enterprise-grade examples
• Write unit tests for existing code using Copilot Chat in both Java and JavaScript

Module 3: Copilot on GitHub.com - GHEC (45 min)

• Use Copilot Chat on GitHub.com to query repositories, explain code, and explore codebases
• Generate pull request summaries with Copilot
• Use Copilot code review to get AI-powered review feedback on pull requests
• Leverage Copilot from the search bar and dashboard for repository-scoped questions

Module 4: Customization - Instructions & Prompt Files (60 min)

• Create repository-wide custom instructions (.github/copilot-instructions.md) to enforce coding standards
• Build path-specific instruction files (.instructions.md) with applyTo frontmatter for language/framework-specific rules
• Author reusable prompt files (.prompt.md) as slash commands for common enterprise workflows
• Understand the instruction priority hierarchy: personal > repository > organization

Module 5: Agent Mode & Custom Agents (75 min)

• Use Agent mode in VS Code for autonomous multi-step tasks with terminal command execution
• Create custom agents (.agent.md) with specialized tools, instructions, and model selection
• Implement handoffs between agents for sequential multi-step workflows (e.g., Plan → Implement → Review)
• Understand and configure subagents for parallel task delegation and context isolation
• Build an orchestration pattern using coordinator and worker agents with the agents property

Module 6: Code Dev & Scaffolding (60 min)

• Use Copilot to write new code and reduce boilerplate through comment-driven and chat-driven development
• Scaffold a complete, multi-file feature (controller, service, repository, DTO/model, tests) in one guided pass
• Use #codebase and workspace context so generated code matches existing project conventions
• Build a reusable prompt file that standardizes how your team scaffolds new components

Module 7: Debugging & Defect RCA (60 min)

• Use Copilot to interpret stack traces, compiler errors, and runtime logs to locate the root cause of a defect
• Distinguish compile-time errors, runtime exceptions, and silent logic defects, adapting prompts for each
• Use @terminal, #terminalLastCommand, and pasted logs to ground Copilot's analysis in real evidence
• Perform structured root cause analysis with Copilot, then use Agent mode to reproduce, fix, and verify a defect

Module 8: Unit Test Framework & Generation (75 min)

• Generate unit tests that developers typically avoid writing, without sacrificing coverage quality
• Run a Test-Driven Development (TDD) Red-Green-Refactor loop with Copilot writing tests first
• Turn Gherkin/BDD feature files into step definitions and passing implementations with Copilot
• Apply Spec-Driven Development (SDD): generate a plan, implementation, and tests from a written spec
• Use Copilot to generate documentation (Javadoc/JSDoc, READMEs) alongside code and tests

Wrap-up, Q&A & Next Steps (105 min)

• Review key takeaways and identify areas for immediate adoption
• Understand enterprise governance: policy management, audit logs, content exclusions, and usage metrics
• Create an action plan for rolling out Copilot customizations to your team

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Repository Structure

├── agenda.md                              # This file
├── modules/
│   ├── module-00-welcome/
│   │   └── README.md                     # Welcome & Foundations
│   ├── module-01-core-experience/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── exercises/                    # Hands-on exercise stubs
│   │       ├── orderService.js
│   │       └── OrderService.java
│   ├── module-02-chat-deep-dive/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── samples/                      # Sample code for unit test generation
│   │       ├── java/
│   │       │   ├── OrderService.java
│   │       │   └── OrderServiceTest.java
│   │       └── javascript/
│   │           ├── package.json
│   │           ├── src/userService.js
│   │           └── test/userService.test.js
│   ├── module-03-copilot-on-github/
│   │   └── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   ├── module-04-customization/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── exercises/README.md           # Exercise guide
│   ├── module-05-agents/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── exercises/README.md           # Exercise guide
│   ├── module-06-code-dev-scaffolding/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── exercises/                    # Hands-on scaffolding output goes here
│   ├── module-07-debugging-defect-rca/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── samples/                      # Buggy code + logs/stack traces for RCA
│   │       ├── java/InventoryReconciler.java
│   │       ├── javascript/pricingEngine.js
│   │       └── logs/
│   ├── module-08-unit-test-generation/
│   │   ├── README.md                     # Module instructions
│   │   └── exercises/                    # TDD, BDD, and SDD starters
│   │       ├── tdd/REQUIREMENTS.md
│   │       ├── bdd/discount-eligibility.feature
│   │       └── sdd/spec.md
│   └── module-09-wrapup/
│       └── README.md                     # Wrap-up & next steps
└── .github/                              # Live Copilot customization config
    ├── copilot-instructions.md           # Repository-wide instructions
    ├── instructions/                     # Path-specific instructions
    ├── prompts/                          # Reusable prompt files
    └── agents/                           # Custom agent definitions

Resources

• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/overview
• https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/
• https://github.blog/engineering/architecture-optimization/the-technology-behind-githubs-new-code-search/
• https://speckit.org/