Press⌃⌘I (Windows, LinuxCtrl+Alt+I) to open the Chat view in a dedicated side panel.

Use the Chat view for:

• Ongoing, multi-turn chat conversations
• Switching between differentagents to ask questions, make code edits across files, or start autonomous coding workflows
• Working on features that span multiple files
• Planning and implementing complex changes

Press⌘I (Windows, LinuxCtrl+I) to start a chat conversation directly in your editor or terminal.

Use inline chat for:

• Getting suggestions inline, right where you're working
• Understanding code in your current context
• Getting help with terminal commands and output

Press⇧⌥⌘L (Windows, LinuxCtrl+Shift+Alt+L) to open a lightweight chat overlay.

Use quick chat for:

• Quick questions that don't require extended conversation
• Getting answers without changing your current view
• Looking up information while maintaining focus on your work

Agent is optimized for complex coding tasks based on high-level requirements that might require running terminal commands and tools. The AI operates autonomously, determining the relevant context and files to edit, planning the work needed, and iterating to resolve issues as they arise.

VS Code directly applies code changes in the editor and the editor overlay controls enable you to navigate between the suggested edits and review them. The agent might invoke multipletools to accomplish different tasks.

You cancustomize chat with extra tools by adding MCP servers or installing extensions that contribute tools.

Open chat with Agent:Stable |Insiders

Get started with agents

1. SelectAgent from the agent picker in the Chat view.

2. Type a high-level prompt in the chat input field. For example, you might ask:

   • "Implement a user authentication system with OAuth2 and JWT."
   • "Set up a CI/CD pipeline for this project."

3. Use the tools picker toenable tools and give the agent more capabilities.

4. SelectSend or pressEnter to submit your prompt.

5. Review and confirm code changes and tool invocations as the agent works through your request.

The plan agent is optimized for creating a structured implementation plan for a coding task. Use the plan agent when you want to break down a complex feature or change into smaller, manageable steps before implementation.

The plan agent generates a detailed plan outlining the steps needed and ask clarifying questions to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the task. You can then handoff the plan to an implementation agent or use it as a guide.

Open chat with Plan:Stable |Insiders

Get started with the plan agent

1. SelectPlan from the agent picker in the Chat view.

2. Type a high-level prompt in the chat input field. For example, you might ask:

   • "Update the application to support multi-language localization."
   • "Add a search feature to the application."

3. SelectSend or pressEnter to submit your prompt.

4. Answer any clarifying questions or refine the plan as needed.

5. SelectStart Implementation to hand off the plan to an implementation agent.

Ask is optimized for answering questions about your codebase, coding, and general technology concepts. Use Ask when you want to understand how something works, explore ideas, or get help with coding tasks. For larger changes across multiple files or more complex coding tasks, consider using agents.

Responses can contain code blocks that you apply individually to your codebase. This works well for smaller edits within a single file. To apply a code block to your codebase, hover over the code block and select theApply in Editor button.

Open chat with Ask:Stable |Insiders

Get started with Ask

1. SelectAsk from the agent picker in the Chat view.

2. Type your prompt in the chat input field. For example, you might ask:

   • "Provide 3 ways to implement a search feature in React."
   • "Where is the db connection configured in this project? #codebase"

3. Optionally,add context to your prompt to get more accurate responses.

4. SelectSend or pressEnter to submit your prompt.

Edit is optimized for making code edits across multiple files in your project. Edit is useful for coding tasks when you have a good understanding of the changes that you want to make and which files you want to edit.

VS Code directly applies the code changes in the editor, where you can review them. Use the editor overlay controls to navigate between edits with theUp andDown controls and either keep or undo changes.

Open chat with Edit:Stable |Insiders

Get started with Edit

1. SelectEdit from the agent picker in the Chat view.

2. Type your request in the chat input field. For example, you might ask:

   • "Refactor the authentication logic to use OAuth2."
   • "Add unit tests for the user service."

3. Add context to your prompt to guide the AI to make edits in the right files.

4. SelectSend or pressEnter to submit your prompt.

5. Review the code changes in the editor by using the overlay controls.