Positron + Copilot setup and overview
Key concepts are:
Positron IDE:
- panels and layouts
- file explorer, editor, and extensions
- command palette: quick access to all commands and features
Assistant: authentication, chat, agents, conversations, and LLMs
Workflow-basics
- Working folder: where your code lives and where the AI agent looks for context
- Console: where you run code and see output; multiple consoles for same/different languages and projects
- Terminal: for command-line work, e.g. file system navigation, running requests, scripts
- Session / data / plots / help
- Stata / R code examles
Positron IDE Overview
Command palette https://positron.posit.co/command-palette.html
Ctrl+Shift+P: and search for any command, e.g. “Open file”, “Run code”, “Git: commit”, “Assistant: ask a question”- or
Search barin the top center of the IDE: type>and the command name, e.g.>Open file
Extensions https://positron.posit.co/extensions.html
Data analysis https://positron.posit.co/data-explorer.html
Assistant + GitHub Copilot
- Enable Positron Assistant
- Configure GitHub Copilot
- Explore the assistant panel: in-line conversations, agents, and LLMs
Workflow basics
Open a working folder (create if needed): where your code lives and where the AI agent looks for context
Create your script or notebook and start coding
Use console to execute code and see output.
- Code execution
- Plotting
- Data viewer
- Help pane for documentation and function signatures
- Session pane for environment info, variables
- View panel for websites
Multiple consoles for same/different languages and projects/ output panel.
Command palette for quick access
Use the terminal for command-line work, e.g. file system navigation, running requests