GitHub Copilot now informs developers if its suggestions mirror public repository code

GitHub has introduced a private beta of a code referencing feature for its automated coding assistant, GitHub Copilot, which allows developers to choose whether to use automatically generated matching public code. Previously, GitHub had launched a feature to automatically block such suggestions, but the new functionality will display the code in a sidebar, giving developers the option to use it, attribute it to an open source license, or have Copilot rewrite the code. The update also allows developers to explore open-source libraries which may already contain the code they need. Future developments may include the ability to sort results by license or commit date, however, this is largely dependent on user feedback.