Copilot Isn't Autocomplete Anymore: Inside Agent Mode

This article explains the evolution of GitHub Copilot from a simple autocomplete tool to the new Agent Mode, which can autonomously handle complex coding tasks. Unlike traditional autocomplete that suggests one line at a time, Agent Mode reads across a codebase, edits multiple files, runs tests in a real terminal, and automatically fixes its own mistakes. The article uses analogies like ordering vs. cooking to illustrate the difference and provides a concrete example of adding rate limiting to an API endpoint. It highlights how Agent Mode solves a fundamentally different problem by executing a loop of edit, test, fix, and repeat until tasks are completed successfully.