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Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) for creating apps for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. As a popular IDE among iOS and macOS developers, many wonder if GitHub’s AI pair programmer Copilot can be used within Xcode to increase productivity.
What is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is an AI assistant for developers created by GitHub. It uses a technique called Neural Machine Translation to suggest entire lines and entire functions based on the code you’ve already written. Copilot is powered by the Codex algorithm developed by OpenAI and trained on billions of lines of public code.
Key features of GitHub Copilot include:
- Propose entire rules and functions inline as you code
- Generate code from natural language comments
- Helps complete repetitive code patterns
- Support for more than a dozen programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, TypeScript, Ruby and Go
Overall, Copilot aims to reduce boilerplate code and streamline development workflows by providing an extra pair of hands right in your editor.
See more: Is Copilot Free for VSCode?
Official Xcode Support
Unfortunately, GitHub Copilot does not officially support integration within Xcode as of late 2022.
The core problem is that Xcode currently does not allow third-party extensions that can open and modify code written in the same way that IDEs such as Visual Studio Code and JetBrains products support.
So there is no official Xcode plugin available from GitHub that enables Copilot functionality when coding iOS or Mac apps directly in Xcode.
Workarounds to use Copilot with Xcode
However, iOS and macOS developers have found some workarounds to use GitHub Copilot when working on Xcode projects:
1. Use the CopilotXcode plugin
There is an open source third party Xcode plugin called CopilotXcode that brings partial support for GitHub Copilot into Xcode.
It uses a client-server architecture to provide code suggestions from Copilot via a sidebar within Xcode. Developers who have activated the plugin can submit code to a Copilot server and retrieve suggestions.
Reviews on the plugin are mixed: some find it useful for completing basic code, but it lacks Xcode integration compared to full-featured IDE extensions. Being a third-party project, the plugin also lacks stability and reliable updates as Copilot evolves.
2. Use Copilot in Visual Studio Code
Another approach is to edit Xcode project files with Visual Studio Code while the official GitHub Copilot extension is installed.
VS Code has robust extensibility support, so the Copilot integration provides a smoother code generation/autocomplete experience for languages like Swift, Objective-C, C, and C++.
Developers can take advantage of the Copilot capabilities in VS Code and then switch back to Xcode to build, run, and test the iOS or macOS application.
The downside is that you lose Xcode-specific features when coding in VS Code and you have to manage to keep files synced between both IDEs. But because of the ability to use Copilot, it can be an efficient workflow.
3. Use Copilot in a separate code editor
Similarly, some developers use GitHub Copilot in a programmer’s text editor, such as Vim or Emacs, that is adapted for Swift or Objective-C development.
They write new code using Copilot assistance in the text editor and then transfer the code to Xcode to integrate with the app project.
While this approach requires context switching between tools, it allows you to increase Copilot productivity while still utilizing Xcode features such as Interface Builder’s visual design and debug/testing capabilities.
4. Wait for official Xcode support
Hopefully, future Xcode releases can include official extension support that will allow GitHub to provide an Xcode Copilot integration similar to what is available in VS Code.
But for now, Xcode lacks the option for an AI assistant plugin that can access open documents and files to provide intelligent code completion.
So while not easy, using GitHub Copilot with Xcode is possible today using the solutions described above. But the extra complexity they introduce results in a subpar Copilot experience compared to other popular IDEs.
Also read: How to install Copilot on Xcode?
Benefits of using GitHub Copilot with Xcode
If developers can integrate GitHub Copilot into an Xcode workflow using one of the methods above, they can reap several benefits:
Reduced boilerplate code
Copilot can automatically generate entire functions, classes, variable declarations, and other repetitive code. This allows iOS and macOS developers to avoid the tedious creation of boilerplate code.
Write code faster
The AI assistant predicts what you will write next based on the context and acts as an extra pair of hands typing next to you. This can significantly speed up development.
Code samples and prototypes
Copilot can provide code samples to perform complex tasks by generating entire functions or classes on demand. These examples can be used for learning or as prototypes during application development.
Documentation Help
The algorithm is trained to generate code based on natural language. Developers can describe what they want to achieve in comments and Copilot will suggest relevant code.
Limitations when using Copilot with Xcode
However, there are also limitations to balance when considering Copilot integration with Xcode projects:
Substandard coding experience
Whether you use an Xcode plugin or an external editor, the Copilot experience will be degraded compared to supported IDEs. The integrations lack reliable stability and updates.
Complexity of multiple editors
Switching between Xcode and external editors introduces overhead due to context switching and keeping project files/code synchronized.
Fast language support
Copilot has only recently been trained in Swift, so its support remains below the more established languages such as Python or JavaScript. Code generation capabilities in Swift are currently limited.
No Live Build/Debug integration
Proposed code must be manually integrated and tested through Xcode’s traditional build and simulation cycle. Copilot cannot dynamically execute code snippets as they are written.
Possible licensing issues
Apple restricts the use of certain Swift/iOS APIs to approved apps in the App Store. Code automatically generated by Copilot may contain unintended API usage, which could cause later app review issues.
So in summary: while useful in some respects, using GitHub Copilot with Xcode currently comes with notable drawbacks, including less stable integrations, added complexity, and poorer support for Swift and Apple native frameworks compared to mature IDE extensions for other languages and platforms.
The future possibilities
Looking ahead, there are compelling reasons for GitHub to invest in official Xcode support for Copilot:
- Big audience – There are probably over a million active Xcode developers who would benefit from AI coding support
- Fast adoption – If the integration experience matched that of VS Code, a huge influx of iOS/Mac developers would quickly embrace Copilot
- Showcase option – Seamless Xcode support would highlight the value of Copilot and the relevance of the Apple platform
Furthermore, the upcoming changes point to better future Copilot potential in Xcode:
- Xcode cloud – Apple’s new cloud-based Xcode build and test platform offers extension support that Copilot could take advantage of
- Rapid progress – OpenAI will continue to expand and improve Copilot’s capabilities with Apple’s Swift programming language
- macOS Ventura – Latest version of macOS shows Apple opening Xcode in certain ways, perhaps foreshadowing plugin support
While GitHub Copilot’s integration with Xcode is disappointing today, the upside potential remains incredibly exciting. We’ll have to wait and see what the future brings!
Conclusion
In summary, GitHub Copilot does not officially support Xcode, but it does work with some developer-driven fixes and limitations. While it can provide useful AI-generated code completion, documentation, and prototyping capabilities, the Xcode integration experience is not yet comparable to supported IDEs such as Visual Studio Code. Hopefully GitHub and Apple make further investments here soon that will seamlessly unlock Copilot’s productivity benefits to the general public of Apple developers.
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