⚡ Get started with AI-assisted development in 30 minutes or less
Transform your development workflow with AI assistance in just a few steps. This quick start guide gets you coding with AI in under 30 minutes.
Before starting, ensure you have:
- GitHub Account (free tier works)
- GitHub Copilot Access (start free trial)
- Visual Studio Code installed
- Internet Connection (for AI suggestions)
- Java 17+ OR .NET 8+ (choose one)
💡 First time? Use our automated setup scripts for faster configuration:
- 🚀 Azure Setup:
setup-azure-infrastructure.sh|setup-azure-infrastructure.ps1- ✅ Validation:
validate-setup.sh- 📖 Resources Guide: Resources README
Choose your quick start journey:
graph LR
A[🚀 Start Here] --> B{👤 Experience Level?}
B -->|🆕 Complete Beginner| C[📚 30-Min Full Setup]
B -->|👩💻 Have GitHub Account| D[⚡ 15-Min Quick Setup]
B -->|🏃♂️ Ready to Code| E[🚀 5-Min Jump Start]
C --> F[✨ Start Coding with AI]
D --> F
E --> F
style A fill:#e1f5fe
style F fill:#e8f5e8
| 🎯 Path | ⏱️ Time | 👤 Best For | 🎁 Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🆕 Complete Beginner | 30 min | First-time users | Full setup + first AI code |
| ⚡ Quick Setup | 15 min | Have GitHub account | AI coding ready |
| 🚀 Jump Start | 5 min | Everything ready | Immediate AI assistance |
# 1. Visit GitHub
open https://github.com
# 2. Click "Sign up" and complete registration
# 3. Verify your email address✅ Checkpoint: You can sign in to GitHub successfully
# 1. Visit Copilot page
open https://github.com/features/copilot
# 2. Click "Start free trial"
# 3. Choose "Individual" plan
# 4. Complete payment setup (free for 30 days)✅ Checkpoint: See "GitHub Copilot is now active" message
# Windows (PowerShell)
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask visual-studio-code
# Or download from: https://code.visualstudio.com- Open VS Code
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+X(Extensions) - Search:
GitHub Copilot - Install both:
- GitHub Copilot
- GitHub Copilot Chat
- Sign in when prompted
☕ For Java:
# Install Java 17
# Windows
winget install EclipseAdoptium.Temurin.17.JDK
# macOS
brew install openjdk@17
# Verify installation
java -version🔷 For C#/.NET:
# Install .NET 8
# Windows
winget install Microsoft.DotNet.SDK.8
# macOS
brew install dotnet
# Verify installation
dotnet --version✅ Checkpoint: VS Code opens with Copilot icon in status bar
-
Create new file:
HelloAI.javaorHelloAI.cs -
Type this comment:
☕ For Java:
// Create a simple calculator class with add, subtract, multiply, and divide methods🔷 For C#/.NET:
// Create a simple calculator class with add, subtract, multiply, and divide methods -
Watch the magic: AI suggests complete code
-
Press Tab to accept the suggestion
-
Run your code to see it work
🎉 Success! You're now coding with AI assistance
📝 Example Code Templates: Check
DatabaseConnection.javaandDatabaseConnection.csfor advanced patterns
Already have GitHub account? Start here!
- Visit github.com/settings/copilot
- Start your free trial if not already active
# Install VS Code + Extensions in one go
code --install-extension GitHub.copilot
code --install-extension GitHub.copilot-chatFollow Step 4 from Path 1 above
VS Code + Copilot ready? Let's code!
- Open VS Code
- Create:
AITest.javaorAITest.cs - Type:
// Create a method to reverse a string - Accept AI suggestion with
Tab - Type:
// Add unit tests for the reverse method - Accept suggestions and run tests
🚀 You're AI-powered! Ready for advanced features
| 📖 Resource | 🎯 Purpose | ⏱️ Time | 🔗 Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Workshop | Full hands-on experience | 90 min | Module 2: Complete Workshop |
| AI Introduction | Understand concepts | 15 min | Module 1: AI Introduction |
| Troubleshooting | Solve common issues | As needed | Module 3: Troubleshooting |
Immediate Next Steps:
1. "Try AI code optimization exercises"
2. "Explore Copilot Chat for explanations"
3. "Practice with security improvements"
4. "Join the AI development community"
Advanced Techniques:
- "Multi-agent workflows"
- "Enterprise AI governance"
- "Production deployment patterns"
- "Performance optimization with AI"| 🚨 Problem | ⚡ Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| No AI suggestions | Check internet + restart VS Code |
| "Not signed in" | Press Ctrl+Shift+P → "GitHub Copilot: Sign In" |
| Slow suggestions | Wait 2-3 seconds after typing |
| Extension not working | Disable/enable GitHub Copilot extension |
- GitHub Copilot Docs: docs.github.com/copilot
- VS Code Setup: code.visualstudio.com/docs/setup
- Our Troubleshooting: Module 3: Troubleshooting
By the end of this quick start, you should be able to:
- GitHub Copilot active and responding to prompts
- VS Code configured with AI extensions
- Development environment ready (Java 17+ or .NET 8+)
- Successfully generated first AI-assisted code
- Write effective AI prompts in code comments
- Accept and modify AI code suggestions
- Use Copilot Chat for code explanations
- Identify when AI suggestions need refinement
| 🎯 Metric | 🆕 Before AI | ✨ With AI | 📊 Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Writing Speed | 50 lines/hour | 150+ lines/hour | 3x faster |
| Bug Detection | Manual review | AI-assisted | 2x more bugs found |
| Learning Curve | Weeks | Hours | 10x faster |
| Code Quality | Variable | Consistent patterns | Standardized |
- Comfortable generating complex functions with AI
- Can explain AI-generated code confidently
- Ready to tackle real-world projects with AI assistance
- Prepared for advanced workshop modules
Advanced users should also explore:
- CI/CD Integration:
github-actions-workflow.yml|azure-devops-pipeline.yml - Multi-Agent Systems:
multi_agent_orchestrator.py - Configuration Management:
application.properties|appsettings.json
| Previous | Up | Next |
|---|---|---|
| 📖 Main README | 📖 Main README | 🚀 Module 1: AI Introduction |
Quick Start Complete • Total Time: 5-30 minutes • Ready for: AI-Assisted Development
Quick Links: 🚀 Module 1: Introduction | 📚 Module 2: Workshop | 🆘 Module 3: Troubleshooting
🎯 Ready to transform your development? Choose your path above and start coding with AI assistance in minutes!