Allison explains how developers can try out the new custom agents feature in GitHub Copilot for JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode, providing guidance for configuration and feedback.

Custom Agents Now Available in GitHub Copilot for JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode

GitHub Copilot has released custom agents in public preview for JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and Xcode. Custom agents allow developers to tailor AI-powered expertise, define guardrails, and specify tool access, embedding project or organizational knowledge directly within the development environment.

What’s New

Customization: Developers can now specify a custom agent’s name, description, available tools, and models, aligning Copilot recommendations with your workflows and coding standards.
Markdown-Based Definitions: Agents are defined via Markdown files that declare prompts and configurations for quick adoption in supported IDEs.
IDE Support: Available by updating to the latest Copilot extension in JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, or Xcode.

How to Try It Out

Update Your IDE: Install the latest Copilot extension in your JetBrains IDE, Eclipse, or Xcode.
Create a Custom Agent: Use the custom agents quickstart and how-to guide to set up an agent by defining its name, description, prompts, knowledge sources, and policies.
Select Your Agent: In Copilot Chat, choose your custom agent from the list of available agents.
Start Interacting: Test and iterate by conversing with your custom agent within your IDE.

Feedback Channels

Your experience and feedback shape the evolution of Copilot custom agents:

In-Product Feedback: Use the built-in options in your IDE.
GitHub Discussions: Engage with product teams and share thoughts in dedicated feedback repositories for each IDE:

Deploy, configure, and tailor AI agents to optimize your development workflow and enforce project-specific standards using GitHub Copilot’s new custom agents feature.

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