وضع الوكيل في Visual Studio: إطلاق العنان للترميز المستقل المدعوم بالذكاء الاصطناعي باستخدام GitHub Copilot

The latest update to Visual Studio introduces Agent Mode, a revolutionary feature powered by GitHub Copilot that promises to transform the software development workflow. This preview release allows developers to delegate complex coding tasks to an AI agent that can autonomously plan, edit codebases, invoke tools, and iterate until the task is complete. Unlike previous Copilot iterations that offered single suggestions or file edits, Agent Mode provides a continuous, self-correcting approach to coding, potentially saving significant time and effort. This blog post summarizes the key aspects of Agent Mode, including its capabilities, how to enable it, potential use cases, and integration with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers.

Agent Mode: Coding Autonomy Unleashed

Agent Mode represents a significant step forward in AI-assisted coding. It empowers developers to define tasks using natural language prompts, allowing Copilot to take the lead in executing those tasks. This autonomy extends beyond simple code generation to encompass entire development workflows, from initial planning to testing and error resolution.

• Agent mode is now available in public preview for all users in Visual Studio 17.14.
• It works iteratively, continuously examining and refining its output until the prompt is completed.
• Agent Mode represents the evolution of Copilot Edits, offering developers even more power and control.

What Agent Mode Can Do

The true power of Agent Mode lies in its ability to handle complex, multi-faceted tasks. It’s not just about generating code snippets; it’s about understanding the context of a project and taking proactive steps to achieve a desired outcome.

• Autonomous Context Awareness: Agent Mode intelligently identifies the relevant context and files requiring modification.
• Intelligent Tool Invocation: The agent suggests and executes terminal commands, streamlining the development process.
• Iterative Refinement: Agent Mode constantly checks for errors, runs builds and tests, and refines its output until the task is successfully completed.
• Tool Integration via MCP: Agent Mode leverages Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to access a range of trusted tools, including linters, test runners, and static analyzers.

Enabling and Using Agent Mode

Activating Agent Mode is straightforward. While it’s disabled by default in the current preview phase, enabling is easy:

• Ensure you are using Visual Studio 17.14 GA or later.
• Use Feature Search (Ctrl + Q) to search for “copilot-chat.agent”.
• Enable “Copilot Chat: Agent Enabled”.
• Switch to “Agent” within the Copilot Chat window and initiate a high-level prompt.

Applications of Agent Mode

Agent Mode is a versatile tool with a wide range of potential applications across diverse development tasks. Its ability to handle complex projects and automate repetitive tasks makes it invaluable.

• Create apps from scratch
• Refactor code across multiple files
• Write and run tests
• Generate documentation
• Integrate new libraries
• Implement terminal-heavy tasks
• Answer questions about complex codebases

Enhancing Agent Mode with MCP Servers

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers significantly enhance Agent Mode by providing access to additional context, tools, data, and resources. Acting as universal adaptors, MCP servers enable AI applications to connect to diverse data sources without requiring custom connections. Some examples include:

• Interacting with your cloud environment through Azure MCP server to access services and tools like Azure Storage, Cosmos DB, and the Azure CLI.
• Querying and managing databases, such as executing queries against Cosmos DB containers or managing Azure Storage blob containers.
• Searching and managing version control platforms such as GitHub API to batch create issues or update files.

Monthly Updates and Visual Studio Hub

Visual Studio is transitioning to a monthly release schedule for Copilot updates, ensuring developers have access to the latest features and improvements. The new Visual Studio Hub consolidates release notes, YouTube videos, social updates, and community discussions in a single location.

In conclusion, Agent Mode in Visual Studio, powered by GitHub Copilot, introduces a new paradigm in software development. Its autonomous capabilities, combined with its integration with MCP servers and its ability to learn from developer feedback, make it a powerful tool for increasing productivity and improving code quality. By taking the reins on complex tasks, Agent Mode frees up developers to focus on higher-level design and innovation.

Source: Microsoft Visual Studio