GRWebDev presents Sloth I: Copilot Agent Mode in VS Code & GitHub

GRWebDev Powered by LaFleur presents Sloth I

Copilot Agent Mode in VS Code & GitHub

Start Garden (40 Pearl St NW #200, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503)

Monday, July 28th 2025, 6pm - 8pm

*** Virtual meeting opens at 6:20pm ***

RSVP

This will be a hybrid event; please join us in person or online via Zoom. RSVP on Meetup as a virtual attendee; in-person attendees must register on Eventbrite.

LOCATION

Start Garden is on the second floor of the historic Trust Building, located at 40 Pearl Street NW in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

PARKING

Paid parking is available at the parking ramp on the corner of Pearl and Ionia. Street parking pricing and hours vary depending on location; details can be found on the City of Grand Rapids website.

DESCRIPTION

There are plenty of presentations, blog posts, and articles out there discussing the capabilities of AI agents and AI-driven development platforms. But are they ready to build well-oiled, secure, stable, and serviceable applications ready for production?

GitHub Copilot’s agent mode is now available both within Visual Studio Code as well as the GitHub platform itself, allowing developers to offload tasks to a small army of low-cost interns. This month at GRWebDev, Sloth will discuss his experience interacting with Copilot’s agent mode as he rebuilt the SlothWerks Tech Calendar into a simple web application using React and Firebase. His presentation will highlight both the pros and cons of using AI coding agents and what the future might look like as this technology continues to improve and evolve.

OUR PRESENTER

Sloth I is a full stack JavaScript programmer and owner of SlothWerks, a custom web and mobile application development agency. A passionate advocate for the local tech community, Sloth has worked with organizations such as Code for Good West Michigan, Grand Circus, Code on Wheels, the Midwest Tech Project, and many others to build a more robust, accessible, and equitable future for creatives in Grand Rapids and beyond.

SPONSORS

This month’s meetup is sponsored by West Michigan Tech Talent. West Michigan Tech Talent connects local employers, educators, community organizations and workforce experts who are invested in creating a strong tech workforce. By sharing best practices, leveraging resources and collaborating on innovative solutions, WMTT is actively addressing the tech talent gap and makes upskilling affordable and accessible. Learn more at westmichigantechtalent.com.

This month’s meetup is also sponsored by Payload. Based in Grand Rapids, Payload is a fully Next.js-native headless CMS and backend that powers thousands of enterprise websites, internal applications, and more around the globe. Built with TypeScript and a code-first approach, Payload gives you a complete backend and admin panel to create anything. Learn more and get started at payloadcms.com.

This month’s meetup is also sponsored by Start Garden. Empowering West Michigan's startup ecosystem through financial, intellectual & social capital, Start Garden provides a neighborhood for startups to grow. No matter where you are on your journey - whether you’re an entrepreneur, a startup or simply a dreamer with a great idea - the Start Garden ecosystem provides a strong community of support to help you get your idea off the ground or move your business to the next level. Learn more at startgarden.com.

GRWebDev's title sponsor (and our venue this evening) is LaFleur Marketing. LaFleur is your forward-thinking digital marketing partner, creating innovative, data-driven marketing strategies and assets for law firms, healthcare organizations, and growing businesses. Learn more about their services on the web at lafleur.marketing.

SCHEDULE

• 6:00pm - 6:30pm … Refreshments and Networking
• 6:20pm … Virtual Meeting Opens
• 6:30pm … Opening Announcements + Presentation
• 7:30pm … Q&A + Closing Announcements
• 8:00pm … Event Ends