Streamlining Arm-Based Development with GitHub Copilot: Boosting Efficiency and Innovation
In today’s fast-paced technology landscape, developers need tools that simplify workflows, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency. AI-assisted development tools are rapidly becoming indispensable, with over 25% of developers already leveraging them for tasks like code generation, test case creation, bug fixes, and security detection. These tools have proven to significantly boost productivity, and now, Arm and GitHub Copilot are taking this a step further with the general availability of the Arm extension for GitHub Copilot, making Arm-based technology more accessible and developer-friendly for millions of users worldwide.
Why Arm and GitHub Copilot Are a Game-Changer
A recent Accenture report highlighted that GitHub Copilot increases coding speed by 55% and boosts developer confidence by 85%. With over 1 million paid users across 20,000+ enterprises, Copilot has become the world’s most widely deployed AI developer tool. On average, users spend an impressive 3.4 days per week utilizing its capabilities.
The new Arm extension for GitHub Copilot is designed to simplify migration to the Arm architecture, reducing both development time and costs. Initially focused on servers and cloud environments, the extension will soon expand to include mobile, IoT, software-defined vehicles, and Windows on Arm development. Developers can simply call @arm within GitHub Copilot Chat to access curated code examples, best practices, migration strategies, and performance optimization tips tailored for Arm-based development.
A Complete CI/CD Pipeline on Arm – Free for Developers
For the first time, developers can access a fully integrated CI/CD pipeline—featuring GitHub Actions, Arm Runners, and the Arm extension for GitHub Copilot—entirely on Arm, and for free. This seamless workflow empowers developers to build, test, and deploy applications natively on Arm-based platforms, streamlining processes from cloud-to-edge.
“The Arm Extension for GitHub Copilot is game-changing for developers,” said Rinat Shagisultanov, VP of Technology at InfoMagnus. “They can now take advantage of Arm intrinsics and architectural features to make their software more performant and efficient. The extension makes it easier than ever for our customers to migrate workloads to the lower-cost, power-efficient Arm servers we’re seeing everywhere in the cloud. It also helps them create CI/CD and MLOps pipelines that are Arm-native with the latest Arm Runners for GitHub Actions.”
Real-World Impact: Developer Testimonials
Developers are already experiencing the benefits of the Arm extension. Jeremy Sinclair, Software & AppSec Architect and Microsoft MVP in Windows Development and .NET, shared his experience:
“What blew me away wasn’t just that the Arm extension could help with code—it was how it gave real context about the Arm architecture. When I asked about setting up CI/CD for Kubernetes, it didn’t just give me generic responses. It pointed me directly to Arm’s learning paths and actual documentation. The difference between receiving generic, unhelpful guidance and getting legitimate, architecture-specific guidance from Arm is critical to efficiency.”
Empowering Developers Across Industries
The Arm extension for GitHub Copilot is evolving to support a wide range of applications, including:
- Generative AI: Simplify the creation and deployment of AI applications.
- Mobile and Gaming: Optimize apps for performance on Arm-based platforms.
- IoT and Software-Defined Vehicles: Enable seamless workflows for cloud-to-edge and cloud-to-car deployment.
With GitHub Actions’ Arm-hosted Runners, developers can now build end-to-end MLOps workflows that combine and automate each step in the machine learning lifecycle. Running these workflows natively on Arm-based platforms unlocks significant advantages for AI/ML applications, particularly in cloud-to-edge optimization.
Additionally, the Arm extension enhances efficiency by providing developers with tailored, architecture-specific answers. For example, developers can easily adopt Arm architecture features like BF16, I8MM, and the latest Armv9 capabilities, such as SVE2, which accelerates machine learning performance on the native Azure Cobalt 100 GitHub Runners.
Cost Optimization and Streamlined Workflows
Together, GitHub Actions, the latest Cobalt 100 native Arm Runners, and the Arm extension for GitHub Copilot enable developers to streamline workflows, optimize costs, and achieve better outcomes at every stage of their MLOps journey. By providing a fully integrated native Arm workflow, developers can focus on innovation rather than infrastructure challenges.
The Future of Arm-Based Development
As Arm continues to refine the extension, future updates will expand support to an even broader range of devices, including Android, gaming platforms, embedded systems, and software-defined vehicles.
“Arm is committed to being the trusted platform for developers,” said an Arm spokesperson. “We are excited to continue working with our ecosystem partners to ensure developers can take full advantage of the latest Arm platform capabilities from day one, across every segment of compute.”
Unlocking the Full Potential of Arm Development
The Arm extension for GitHub Copilot marks a significant milestone in simplifying and accelerating Arm-based development. By providing developers with curated resources, architecture-specific guidance, and a fully integrated CI/CD pipeline, Arm and GitHub are empowering innovators to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Whether you’re building generative AI models, optimizing mobile apps, or deploying IoT solutions, the Arm extension ensures you have the tools you need to succeed.
To learn more about how developers are leveraging GitHub Copilot and Arm Runners to streamline workflows and boost efficiency, check out the official blog and start exploring the possibilities of Arm-based development today.
