Randy Pagels demonstrates how developers can streamline code improvements using GitHub Copilot Edit Mode and Agent Mode for quick enhancements and consistent coding practices.

Use Edit Mode for Quick, Targeted Improvements

Posted by Randy Pagels on Aug 29, 2025

Sometimes you don’t need a whole new feature—you just want your existing code to be cleaner, easier to read, or follow a consistent style. That’s where GitHub Copilot Edit Mode makes a difference. Instead of refactoring code manually, you can highlight the section you want to improve and instruct Copilot with a comment.

When to Use Edit Mode

  • Polish your code by improving readability
  • Simplify complex logic in difficult functions
  • Standardize code style (e.g., convert callbacks to async/await)
  • Add error handling quickly with generated try/catch blocks

How to Use Edit Mode

  1. Highlight the code block you want to change.
  2. Add a natural-language comment describing your intent, e.g.:
    • # Rewrite this function to be easier to read without changing its behavior
    • // Update this function to use async/await instead of promises
    • // Add try/catch blocks to handle potential runtime errors
  3. Let Copilot suggest the edit, review changes, and accept or refine as needed.

For Larger, Consistent Updates

Use Agent Mode to:

  • Apply the same refactoring or style rules across multiple files or services.
  • Goal example: Review all service files and update them to follow the same error-handling pattern.
  • This enables repo-wide consistency with less manual effort.

Extra Prompt Ideas

  • # Refactor this loop into a more concise version
  • # Add XML or JSDoc comments to describe parameters and return values
  • # Replace deprecated methods with supported alternatives

Quick Takeaway

Edit Mode acts as a focused code assistant, applying your instructions to precisely selected portions—no large-scale rewrites unless you use Agent Mode. For improving code quality and reliability without slowing down, Copilot Edit Mode and Agent Mode can streamline your workflow.

Authored by Randy Pagels

This post appeared first on “Randy Pagels’s Blog”. Read the entire article here