Copilot Code Reviews

Overview

Microsoft Copilot code reviews have now been enabled for pull requests.

Copilot will automatically review changes submitted in a pull request and provide feedback on potential issues, code quality concerns, maintainability improvements, and best practice recommendations.

Copilot reviews are intended to support the existing peer review process and help identify issues earlier in the development lifecycle.

What Copilot Reviews

When a pull request is created or updated, Copilot may provide feedback on:

Potential bugs and logic issues
Code readability and maintainability
Security concerns
Performance considerations
Unused or redundant code
Error handling opportunities
Consistency with common coding best practices

Copilot reviews the code changes contained within the pull request and generates comments where potential improvements are identified.

What Copilot Does Not Replace

Copilot reviews are designed to assist developers and reviewers.

Copilot is not a replacement for:

Human code reviews
Architectural review
Security review
Testing
Responsibility for code quality

All pull requests must continue to follow existing review and approval processes.

How to Use Copilot Feedback

When Copilot leaves comments on a pull request:

Review the recommendation.
Determine whether the suggestion is applicable.
Update the code if the recommendation adds value.
Resolve the comment or respond with justification where appropriate.

Not every recommendation will be relevant.

Developers should apply engineering judgement when deciding whether to act on Copilot feedback.

Expected Benefits

By incorporating Copilot reviews into the pull request process we aim to:

Catch issues earlier in development
Improve code quality and consistency
Reduce manual reviewer effort
Help identify common coding mistakes
Encourage adherence to engineering best practices

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Copilot approval required before merging?

No.

Copilot comments should be reviewed and considered, but they do not replace the existing approval process or merge requirements.

Do I need to implement every Copilot suggestion?

No.

Copilot feedback is advisory. Use your judgement to determine whether a recommendation is applicable to the change being made.

Can Copilot be wrong?

Yes.

Copilot generates recommendations based on patterns and analysis of the code changes. Suggestions should always be reviewed and validated by developers.

Will Copilot review every pull request?

Copilot will attempt to review eligible pull requests, however review coverage and feedback may vary depending on the size and content of the change.

Copilot will not review pull requests marked as a draft.