Adding Features to Your GitHub Copilot App

Copilot assists with implementation but doesn't drive architectural decisions. It can generate code for most features but the quality varies significantly based on the complexity and how well-represented the pattern is in its training data

Copilot users typically need help with the same features as any developer — the difference is that Copilot's implementation may contain subtle bugs or security issues that need review. Common requests: payment integration, authentication, real-time features, third-party APIs

Almost every SaaS app needs payment processing. Stripe is the standard — it handles credit cards, subscriptions, invoices, and payouts. The key pieces: a checkout flow for collecting payment, webhooks to update your database when payments succeed or fail, and a customer portal for managing subscriptions. GitHub Copilot might generate a basic checkout page, but the webhook handling and subscription lifecycle management usually need to be built by hand.

Your app needs user accounts with secure login. The easiest options: NextAuth (for Next.js), Supabase Auth, or Clerk. These handle email/password login, social login (Google, GitHub), password resets, and session management. Don't build auth from scratch — the security implications are too complex for a first implementation.

Transactional emails — welcome emails, password resets, order confirmations — require an email service provider. Resend is the simplest to set up, SendGrid is the most established, and Amazon SES is the cheapest at scale. You'll need email templates, a sending service, and proper DNS configuration (SPF, DKIM) so your emails don't land in spam.

If a feature requires deep technical expertise (payment compliance, data privacy, real-time systems), it's faster and safer to get professional help than to iterate with AI tools. Our team adds features like these to GitHub Copilot apps every week — we know the patterns and the pitfalls.