إطلاق GitHub Copilot لـ Azure (معاينة) في Visual Studio 2022، لتبسيط تطوير السحابة

GitHub Copilot for Azure (Preview) is now available in Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.14+), marking a significant step towards simplifying and accelerating cloud development workflows. This extension integrates Azure developer tools directly into Visual Studio through GitHub Copilot’s Agent Mode and the Azure MCP (Model Context Protocol) server. By automating setup and providing easy access to Azure resources, diagnostics, and deployment tools, this preview promises to enhance developer productivity and streamline cloud-native application development.

Key Features and Benefits

• Zero-Setup Azure MCP Server: The extension eliminates the complexities of manual configuration by automatically downloading and starting the Azure MCP server upon opening Copilot Chat. This provides immediate access to Azure tools without any prior installation or setup requirements.

  • Simplifies onboarding process for developers new to Azure.
  • Reduces the time spent on environment setup and configuration.

• Agent Mode and Integrated Azure Tools: Developers can leverage the power of Agent Mode to delegate tasks to Copilot, allowing it to intelligently select the appropriate Azure tools from a comprehensive toolbox within Copilot Chat. Alternatively, developers can manually choose specific tools as needed. This integration supports a wide range of tasks including:

  • Listing and inspecting Azure resources
  • Diagnosing application issues and pulling logs
  • Deploying applications using Azure Developer CLI (azd)
  • Executing arbitrary Azure CLI commands

• Broad Azure Coverage via MCP Tools: The GitHub Copilot for Azure extension provides extensive support for a wide array of Azure services through the Azure MCP server. Key services covered include:

  • Azure App Configuration
  • Azure Container Registry (ACR)
  • Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL Databases)
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
  • Azure SQL Database, Elastic Pool, and Server
  • Azure Storage
  • Azure Functions
  • Azure Key Vault
  • Azure Developer CLI (azd)

Getting Started

To start using GitHub Copilot for Azure (Preview), ensure you have the following:

• Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.14 or later)
• An active GitHub Copilot subscription with Copilot Chat enabled
• A Microsoft account with access to an Azure subscription

Installation and setup are straightforward:

1. Install the “GitHub Copilot for Azure (Preview)” extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
2. Open Copilot Chat in Visual Studio and select “Agent Mode.”
3. Click “Select tools” and enable the “Azure Extension.”
4. Include resource details (subscription, resource group, resource name) in your prompts for more accurate results.

Example Prompts

The following are example prompts you can try in Agent Mode with the Azure tools enabled:

• “Do I have any webapps in my current subscription?”
• “Look for a WebApp named <appname>. Does it have any recent downtime?”
• “Find what tenants I have access to and what I’m currently using.”
• “Provide the weburls for these ACA apps.”

What’s Next

The Microsoft team is committed to continually expanding the Azure toolset and deepening integration with Visual Studio, building on the foundation of the generally available MCP. Developers are encouraged to try the GitHub Copilot for Azure preview and provide feedback to help shape the future of this powerful tool.

In conclusion, GitHub Copilot for Azure (Preview) represents a significant leap forward in Azure development within Visual Studio. By simplifying setup, providing agent-powered assistance, and offering broad Azure coverage, it aims to empower developers to build, deploy, and manage Azure applications more efficiently than ever before.

Source: Microsoft Visual Studio Blog