VS Code / GitHub Copilot

Adapter implementation:

• src/host-adapters/vscode.ts
• src/host-adapters/vscode-settings.ts

This adapter is intentionally host-specific because VS Code and GitHub Copilot use protected user-scoped settings plus workspace-local instruction files.

Official docs

• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/overview
• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/custom-instructions
• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/agent-skills
• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/agent-plugins
• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/mcp-servers

Supported behavior

• patches user-scoped VS Code JSONC settings
• writes workspace-local .github/copilot-instructions.md
• materializes curated runtime folders under ~/.copilot/agent-harness/
• writes extension metadata for valid VS Code extension identifiers
• emits native install action guidance for extension assets when possible
• supports explicit extension install, verify, and remove via install native --host vscode
• projects shared MCP references into the effective wire plan
• resets managed settings entries and generated files without wiping unrelated user settings

Settings that can be patched

• chat.pluginLocations
• chat.agentSkillsLocations
• chat.hookFilesLocations
• chat.agentFilesLocations
• chat.instructionsFilesLocations
• github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.instructions

Curated runtime folders

• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/instructions
• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/agents
• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/skills
• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/hooks
• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/plugins
• ~/.copilot/agent-harness/extensions

Workspace and activation outputs

• .github/copilot-instructions.md
• activate/copilot-vscode/wire-preview-vscode.json
• activate/copilot-vscode/wire-plan.json
• activate/copilot-vscode/workspace-profile-manifest.json

Known limitations

Host-specific details only; see Managed wire-in vs native/global install for the shared invariants:

• Applying VS Code wire-in requires the VS Code user settings directory to exist and be writable.
• The README treats instruction files, skills, plugins, and MCP as the primary documented public contract. Some patched settings remain implementation detail unless a current VS Code settings reference explicitly documents them.
• The adapter never silently installs marketplace extensions during wire; native extension installation is an explicit install native --operation install --apply action.