Can we put the code copy button at the bottom again please?

Enhancing User Experience: Reconsidering the Placement of Code Copy Buttons in Educational Dashboards

In the realm of educational technology and developer tools, small interface tweaks can significantly improve usability and efficiency. Recently, I’ve been working on an academic dashboard for my wife, who has recently achieved the milestone of becoming a full professor — an achievement I am incredibly proud of. As I develop this project, I’ve encountered an interesting usability challenge related to the placement of code copying features.

My preferred AI assistant for code generation, Gemini, has been instrumental in this process. It excels at producing accurate and lengthy code snippets, especially compared to alternatives like ChatGPT or Claude, which occasionally stumble or forget context. However, as my project has progressed, I’ve noticed a slowdown in interaction, particularly regarding code block management.

A specific issue has arisen with the placement of the ‘Copy’ button within code blocks. Currently, the button appears at the top of each code segment, which is convenient when the code is short. But when the code snippets are lengthy, it can be cumbersome to reach the copy button without excessive scrolling, especially since the document now contains numerous code blocks. This inconvenience often leads to a workaround: manually selecting the code, which is time-consuming and far from ideal.

Moreover, there have been instances where I attempted to copy code prematurely while it was still being generated, leading to incomplete or incorrect copying. This highlights the importance of providing intuitive and accessible copy options that accommodate different user needs and workflows.

Given these considerations, I propose that a dual-placement approach could enhance usability: retaining the ‘Copy’ button at the top of each code block for quick access and adding an identical button at the bottom. This would allow users to copy code efficiently, whether they are near the beginning, middle, or end of a lengthy segment, without unnecessary scrolling or manual selection.

Such a simple adjustment could substantially improve user experience, especially for educators, developers, and content creators working with extensive code samples. It balances accessibility and convenience, ensuring that users can interact with code snippets seamlessly, regardless of their position in the document.

In conclusion, thoughtful UI enhancements, like adding a copy button at the bottom of code blocks, can make a significant difference in productivity and overall satisfaction. I hope this suggestion resonates with others who face similar challenges and that we can see more flexible, user-friendly interfaces in the educational and developer tools we rely on daily.