Using Agents in VS Code

Key Concepts

Agents differ from standard AI chat by handling complete coding tasks end-to-end. They understand project context, modify multiple files, execute commands, and adapt based on results.

The key distinction: agents don't just suggest code—they autonomously perform work while you maintain oversight.

The Four Agent Types

VS Code supports four execution modes, each suited to different workflows:

graph TD
    subgraph Local["Local Agents"]
        L1[Interactive
Real-time feedback]
        L2[Workspace context
Brainstorming]
    end

    subgraph Background["Background Agents"]
        B1[CLI-based
Non-interactive]
        B2[Well-defined tasks
Autonomous]
    end

    subgraph Cloud["Cloud Agents"]
        C1[Remote infrastructure
GitHub integration]
        C2[Team collaboration
PRs & branches]
    end

    subgraph Third["Third-Party Agents"]
        T1[External providers
Specialized tools]
    end

Local Agents

Run within VS Code with real-time feedback. Best for:

• Brainstorming and planning
• Tasks requiring immediate workspace context
• Interactive refinement of solutions

Background Agents

CLI-based tools (like Copilot CLI) operating non-interactively. Best for:

• Well-defined autonomous tasks
• Batch operations
• Tasks that can run unattended

Background agents can use Git worktrees for isolated work environments.

Cloud Agents

Run on remote infrastructure with GitHub integration. Best for:

• Team collaboration via pull requests and branches
• Long-running tasks that shouldn't tie up your machine
• CI/CD integration workflows

Third-Party Agents

External provider agents integrated into VS Code's unified experience. Best for:

• Specialized domain tools
• Vendor-specific integrations

Session Management

All agent types share unified session management:

• Unified Chat View: Central management regardless of execution location
• Session Handoff: Delegate between agent types using "Continue In" controls or @cli/@cloud mentions
• File Change Review: View diffs before applying modifications
• Session Organization: Rename, archive, filter by status

Sessions are workspace-scoped with automatic time-based grouping.

Enabling Agents

Requires the chat.agent.enabled setting to be enabled.

Connections

• introducing-agent-skills-in-vs-code - Skills define the specialized knowledge agents use; this documents where those skills execute
• context-engineering-guide-vscode - Same author's guide to feeding agents the right project context for better results