Fokko Veegens covers VS Code 1.102 features including the open-sourcing of GitHub Copilot Chat extension, custom chat modes, custom instruction generation, and terminal auto approval.

Key Features in VS Code 1.102

This release focuses on customization and community engagement, providing developers with unprecedented control over their AI-assisted development experience while opening the door for community contributions.

GitHub Copilot Chat Extension Goes Open Source

A landmark moment for the VS Code community, the GitHub Copilot Chat extension is now open source. This allows developers to inspect the code, contribute improvements, create custom extensions, and better understand how Copilot integrates with VS Code. The open-source nature promotes transparency and enables the community to help shape the future of AI-assisted development.

Custom Chat Modes

Custom chat modes represent a powerful customization capability, allowing developers to create specialized AI assistants for specific purposes. Whether you need a mode focused on security reviews, documentation writing, or debugging specific frameworks, custom chat modes enable you to tailor Copilot’s behavior to your exact needs.

Generate Custom Instructions

The new ability to generate custom instructions helps developers personalize how GitHub Copilot interacts with their code. These instructions can encode your coding standards, preferred patterns, and specific project requirements, ensuring that AI-generated suggestions align with your team’s practices and style guidelines.

Terminal Auto Approval

Terminal auto-approval streamlines workflows by allowing you to configure which types of terminal commands can be executed automatically without manual confirmation. This reduces friction in common development tasks while maintaining control over potentially destructive operations.

MCP Servers Reach General Availability

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers are now generally available, providing a standardized way to connect GitHub Copilot to external data sources and tools. This opens up new possibilities for extending Copilot’s knowledge and capabilities beyond its base training.

Additional Features

The release includes several other valuable enhancements:

  • Edit Previous Requests: Refine your chat queries by editing previous messages
  • Start Coding Agent from VS Code: Seamless transition from chat to agent mode for complex tasks
  • Small Updates: Various quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes

Fokko provides detailed walkthroughs of each feature, with extensive coverage of custom chat modes and practical examples of how to leverage these new capabilities. The video includes helpful timestamps for quick navigation.

Watch the video on YouTube