github-docs-arabic-enhanced / content /copilot /how-tos /get-code-suggestions /find-matching-code.md
| title: Finding public code that matches GitHub Copilot suggestions | |
| shortTitle: Find matching code | |
| intro: 'Learn how to view code references when {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} makes suggestions that matches publicly available code.' | |
| defaultTool: vscode | |
| redirect_from: | |
| - /early-access/copilot/code-referencing-in-github-copilot | |
| - /copilot/using-github-copilot/finding-public-code-that-matches-github-copilot-suggestions | |
| - /copilot/how-tos/completions/finding-public-code-that-matches-github-copilot-suggestions | |
| - /copilot/how-tos/completions/find-matching-code | |
| topics: | |
| - Copilot | |
| versions: | |
| feature: copilot | |
| contentType: how-tos | |
| category: | |
| - Author and optimize with Copilot | |
| {% jetbrains %} | |
| This version of this article is for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in JetBrains IDEs. For {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on other platforms, click the appropriate tab above. | |
| {% endjetbrains %} | |
| {% vscode %} | |
| This version of this article is for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. For {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on other platforms, click the appropriate tab above. | |
| {% endvscode %} | |
| {% webui %} | |
| This version of this article is for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on the {% data variables.product.github %} website. For {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on other platforms, click the appropriate tab above. | |
| {% endwebui %} | |
| {% visualstudio %} | |
| This version of this article is for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}. For {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on other platforms, click the appropriate tab above. | |
| {% endvisualstudio %} | |
| ## Introduction | |
| If you allow {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} to make suggestions that match publicly available code, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will display references to any similar code that is found. See [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/concepts/completions/code-referencing). | |
| ### Prerequisites | |
| References to matching code are only generated if {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is configured to allow suggestions that match publicly available code. This is configured in either your personal{% ifversion ghec %},{% else %} or {% endif %} organization{% ifversion ghec %} or enterprise{% endif %} settings. | |
| For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/configuring-github-copilot/configuring-your-personal-github-copilot-settings-on-githubcom#enabling-or-disabling-suggestions-matching-public-code){% ifversion ghec %},{% else %} or {% endif %} [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/managing-copilot/managing-github-copilot-in-your-organization/managing-policies-for-copilot-in-your-organization#policies-for-suggestion-matching){% ifversion ghec %} or [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/managing-copilot/managing-copilot-for-your-enterprise/managing-policies-and-features-for-copilot-in-your-enterprise){% endif %}. | |
| {% jetbrains %} | |
| ## View code references for inline suggestions | |
| You can view code references in the log file for your JetBrains IDE. | |
| 1. In your JetBrains IDE, select **Help** > **Show Log in Finder/Explorer**. | |
| The log file is displayed in your file manager. For example, for IntelliJ IDEA the log file is called `idea.log`. | |
| 1. Open the log file in your JetBrains IDE. | |
| 1. Search for "[Public Code References]." | |
| ### Example log entry | |
| ```text | |
| 2025-02-26 09:22:12,045 [5581906] INFO - #copilot - [Public Code References] Text found matching public code in file:///Users/mona-lisa/git-repos/test-repo/fizzbuzz.js [Ln 1, Col 10] near fizzBuzz() ...: | |
| 1) [NOASSERTION] https://github.com/nixsticks/todos/blob/ae427a721c7784da64a619ba17f60637fe1cc819/Loops/fizzbuzz/fizzbuzz.js | |
| 2) [GPL-3.0] https://github.com/voloslg/algocasts/blob/34b423517486f908ca167b390d3b8bd05653829f/exercises/fizzbuzz/index.js | |
| ``` | |
| The log entry includes the following details: | |
| * The date and time you accepted the suggestion. | |
| * A "Public Code References" message telling you that similar code was found. | |
| * The path to the file in which the suggestion was added. | |
| * The line and column number where the suggestion was added. | |
| * A list of matches, including: | |
| * The license type for the matching code—or `NOASSERTION` if no license was found. | |
| * The URL of the file on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} where the matching code was found. | |
| ### Verifying the code referencing functionality | |
| {% data reusables.copilot.code-referencing-verifying %} | |
| {% endjetbrains %} | |
| {% vscode %} | |
| ## View code references for inline suggestions | |
| You can find code references in one of the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} logs in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. | |
| 1. In {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}, open the **Output** window by selecting **View** > **Output** from the menu bar. | |
| 1. In the dropdown menu at the right of the **Output** window, select **{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} Log (Code References)**. | |
| 1. Leave the **{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} Log (Code References)** view displayed while you use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. | |
| When you accept an inline suggestion that matches code in a public {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} repository, an entry is added to the log. | |
| The log entry includes the following details: | |
| * The date and time you accepted the suggestion. | |
| * The name of the file in which the suggestion was added. | |
| * "Similar code at" followed by the location in the file where the suggestion was added. | |
| * An extract of the code that was added by the inline suggestion. | |
| * The license type for the matching code, if found, otherwise `unknown`. | |
| * The URL of the file on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} where the similar code was found. | |
| ### Example log entry | |
| ```text | |
| 2025-03-27 12:17:54.759 [info] file:///Users/monalisa/fizzbuzz.js Similar code at [Ln 2, Col 8] let i = 1; i <= 100; i++) { let output = ''; if (i % 3 === 0) { output += 'Fizz';... | |
| 2025-03-27 12:17:54.759 [info] License: unknown, URL: https://github.com/octo-org/octo-repo/blob/8563f3b1d4f33952b22212b86e745539d1567ed1/examples/fizzBuzz.js | |
| 2025-03-27 12:17:54.759 [info] License: MIT, URL: https://github.com/octo-org/monalisa/blob/7e974691f4c8e6bc55f9b50688f05d746d1bc52b/exercises/2/fizz-buzz.js | |
| ``` | |
| ### Verifying the code referencing functionality | |
| {% data reusables.copilot.code-referencing-verifying %} | |
| {% endvscode %} | |
| {% visualstudio %} | |
| ## View code references for inline suggestions | |
| You can find code references in the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} log in {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}. | |
| 1. In the menu bar, click **View**. | |
| 1. In the dropdown menu, click **Output**. | |
| 1. In Output view, click the box to the right of "Show output from" and select **{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}**. | |
| 1. Leave the log displayed while you use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. | |
| When you accept an inline suggestion that matches code in a public {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} repository, an entry is added to the log. | |
| The log entry includes the following details: | |
| * The time you accepted the suggestion. Click the "Show Timestamp" clock icon if the time is not displayed. | |
| * The description `[Completions Public Code Match Information]`. | |
| * The license type for the matching code, if found, otherwise `NOASSERTION`. | |
| * The URL of the file on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} where the similar code was found. | |
| ### Example log entry | |
| ```text | |
| 09:39:16:203 [Completions Public Code Match Information] Similar code with license type [MIT] https://github.com/octo-org/octo-repo/blob/34deb75eb6a2e22483ed465a6aec38c02eb2536e/routines/quicksort.js | |
| ``` | |
| ### Verifying the code referencing functionality | |
| {% data reusables.copilot.code-referencing-verifying %} | |
| {% endvisualstudio %} | |
| ## View code references for {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} | |
| {% jetbrains %} | |
| {% data reusables.copilot.viewing-code-references-in-chat %} | |
| {% endjetbrains %} | |
| {% vscode %} | |
| {% data reusables.copilot.viewing-code-references-in-chat %} | |
| {% endvscode %} | |
| {% visualstudio %} | |
| If a response in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} includes matching code, this is below the suggested code by the following text: | |
| > Found similar code in public repos. **View matches** | |
| Click **View matches** to open the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} log, if it is not already open, and add details of the matched code. | |
| The details include: | |
| * The time you added the details to the log. Click the "Show Timestamp" clock icon if the time is not displayed. | |
| * The description `[Code Match]` as the first log entry before the list of matching code. | |
| * The license type—if found—for each instance of similar code. | |
| * The URL of the file on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} where the matching code was found. | |
| * A code snippet showing the matching code. | |
| ### Logging example | |
| ```text | |
| 09:24:10:525 [Code Match] Similar code with 2 license type(s) [MIT, NOASSERTION] | |
| 09:24:10:525 ## License: MIT | |
| 09:24:10:525 https://github.com/octo-org/octo-repo/tree/127aac4ab27a42706af01be80f7aae3b83f44fbc/buzzfizz.py | |
| 09:24:10:525 ``` | |
| 09:24:10:525 for i in range(1, n + 1): | |
| 09:24:10:525 if i % 3 == 0 and i % 5 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print('FizzBuzz') | |
| 09:24:10:525 elif i % 3 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print('Fizz') | |
| 09:24:10:525 elif i % 5 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 ``` | |
| 09:24:10:525 ## License: NOASSERTION | |
| 09:24:10:525 https://github.com/octo-org/monalisa/tree/011308746e53b26b128fa53c044a2527c39231f0/fizz-buzz.py | |
| 09:24:10:525 ``` | |
| 09:24:10:525 i % 3 == 0 and i % 5 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print('FizzBuzz') | |
| 09:24:10:525 elif i % 3 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print('Fizz') | |
| 09:24:10:525 elif i % 5 == 0: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print('Buzz') | |
| 09:24:10:525 else: | |
| 09:24:10:525 print(i) | |
| 09:24:10:525 ``` | |
| ``` | |
| {% endvisualstudio %} | |
| {% webui %} | |
| When {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} provides a response that includes code that matches code in a public {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} repository, this is indicated beneath the code suggestion: | |
| > < > Public code references from _n_ repositories | |
| To see details of the matching code: | |
| 1. Click the "Public code references..." text, under the code suggestion. | |
| A list of {% data variables.product.github %} repositories containing matching code is displayed in a dropdown, together with licensing information, if found. | |
|  | |
| 1. Click the name of a repository to display that repository on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}. | |
| {% endwebui %} | |
| ## Further reading | |
| * [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/concepts/completions/code-referencing) | |