Matt Hernandez details how integrating GitHub Copilot into the VS Code Container Tools extension enables developers to manage containers easily with conversational commands, keeping focus on coding.

Effortless Container Management with GitHub Copilot and VS Code

Managing containers can be tedious and disruptive to developer productivity, especially when switching between CLI commands, troubleshooting issues, and maintaining context. In this article, Matt Hernandez introduces the latest release of the VS Code Container Tools extension, which tightly integrates GitHub Copilot for a smoother, conversational approach to container management.

Why This Matters

  • Containers are widely used for development environments, cloud deployments, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Traditionally, tooling for containers involves fragmented experiences and repetitive commands.
  • With Copilot integrated into VS Code, developers can manage containers naturally without leaving the editor.

Copilot Integration Features

The cornerstone of this update is the Ask Copilot feature:

  • Right-click on any container or image and start a chat with Copilot.
  • Copilot can:
    • Inspect containers
    • Fetch and surface logs
    • Highlight configuration details
    • Suggest troubleshooting steps

This interface reduces context switching and lets developers focus on their code.

Real-World Example Walkthrough

A typical troubleshooting flow with Copilot in VS Code:

  1. A container crashes during development.
  2. Right-click to open Ask Copilot for that container.
  3. Copilot analyzes the logs, highlights errors, and suggests fixes.
  4. The developer can instruct Copilot to restart the container directly.
  5. Progress updates and confirmation are handled within VS Code.

This collapses a formerly multi-step, interruption-prone process into a single, flowing conversation.

Benefits for Developers

  • Stay productive: Reduced need to recall commands or use multiple tools.
  • Less context switching: All actions are performed within VS Code.
  • Seamless troubleshooting: Immediate log analysis and actionable suggestions.
  • Natural commands: Tell Copilot what you need instead of typing exact syntax.

Getting Started

  • Download or update the VS Code Container Tools extension.
  • Right-click on containers or images within VS Code to access Copilot.
  • Start chatting to leverage Copilot’s abilities for management and troubleshooting.

By embedding GitHub Copilot directly into the container workflow, VS Code now offers a more intuitive and productive environment for developers working with containers.

Update today to experience productivity gains and a new level of developer flow in containerized projects.

Article by Matt Hernandez

This post appeared first on “Microsoft Blog”. Read the entire article here