Meet Your New Coding Wingman: VS Code Agent Mode

6 min readApr 11, 2025

Ever wish your editor could do more than just suggest a few lines of code? Same here. That’s where VS Code Agent Mode comes in — and let me tell you, it’s not just another autocomplete feature. It’s like pairing up with an AI that can actually code with you — editing files, running terminal commands, and fixing bugs — without you having to micromanage every move.

If you’re like me and spend hours context-switching between writing logic, tweaking configs, and fixing test failures, Agent Mode feels like offloading half your brain to an efficient AI coworker. Let’s break down what it is, how to set it up, and why it’s already saving devs hours of work.

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Apidog MCP Server: The Bridge Between Your API Specifications and AI Coding Assistants

Software development is undergoing a profound transformation as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated…

sebastian-petrus.medium.com

🧠 What Is Agent Mode, Exactly?

Think of GitHub Copilot’s regular chat mode, but with superpowers. In Agent Mode, the AI doesn’t just reply with suggestions — it executes. You give it a goal like “Build a to-do list app using React” and it takes care of the grunt work:

Figures out the file structure
Writes the boilerplate
Sets up dependencies
Detects issues and corrects them

You still review and approve every action, but the cognitive load? Gone.

As of April 10, 2025, Agent Mode is still rolling out, and it includes support for Model Context Protocol (MCP) — which means it can hook into tools like Apidog’s MCP Server to access API docs and external data directly. Game-changer for API-heavy apps.

💡 Why Devs Like Me Are Using It

Handles Multi-Step Tasks: Perfect for spinning up features or scaffolding code bases.
Self-Correcting: If it trips up, it can often fix its own mistakes before you even jump in.
Tool-Aware: It uses terminal commands, reads your project context, and leverages tools like Apidog or Docker if you’ve got them configured.
You Stay in Control: Everything needs your approval — so it won’t wreck your codebase while you’re getting coffee.

⚙️ Setting Up Agent Mode in VS Code (Quick & Dirty)

Here’s how I got Agent Mode running in under 5 minutes:

Step 1: Update VS Code

First things first — make sure you’re on a recent version of VS Code that supports Agent Mode. Head to code.visualstudio.com, download the Stable version, or use Insiders for bleeding-edge features.

Step 2: Enable Agent Mode

Agent Mode might not be on by default depending on your version and rollout status. Here’s how to potentially turn it on:

Open VS Code.

Hit Ctrl + , (or Cmd + , on Mac) to open Settings.

Search for chat.agent.enabled and make sure its ticked.

If you don’t see it, reload VS Code after updating — it might pop up if available in your build. Check for updates via Help > Check for Updates.

Pro Tip: This step may become unnecessary as Agent Mode rolls out more broadly. For now, this toggle (if present) gets you in early!

Step 3: Sign In to GitHub

VS Code Agent Mode runs on GitHub Copilot, so you’ll need an active subscription.

In VS Code, click the Copilot icon in the sidebar (or use the relevant shortcut, e.g., Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Shift+I for the Copilot pane).

Step 4: Open the Chat View & Select Agent Mode

Now, let’s get to the fun part:

Open the Copilot Chat view (Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Shift+I).

Look for the mode dropdown at the bottom of the Chat input area — it might say “Ask,” “Edit,” or “Agent.”

Select Agent. Boom — you’re in VS Code Agent Mode!

🚀 Let’s Build Something With Agent Mode

Say I want to build a React to-do app:

I open a blank workspace
Type into the chat:
"Build a basic to-do list in React with separate components for input and list."

The AI breaks it down:

Creates App.js with state management
Adds TodoForm.js and TodoList.js
Suggests terminal commands like npm create vite@latest

🔄 Iteration Made Easy

Agent Mode loops as needed:

Missed something? Ask it to fix or add functionality.
It updates the code, runs commands, and continues until it’s done.
You can pause, cancel, or roll back changes at any time.

💡 Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of Agent Mode

Be Specific in Prompts: Vague prompts = vague results. Try:
"Refactor utils.py to use a class structure for better modularity."
Use Special Commands: Prefix with # for tool-based tasks:

#terminal to run CLI commands
#codebase to search existing files
#fetch to pull data from external sources
Undo Like a Boss: If it messes up, use “Undo Last Edit” from the chat menu. It’s like Ctrl+Z but for AI-generated changes.

Agent Mode vs. Edit Mode: When to Use What?

Confused about Agent Mode vs. Edit Mode in Copilot Chat? Here’s the scoop:

Agent Mode: Best for big, multi-step tasks where you want the AI to figure out the plan, manage files, and potentially self-correct (e.g., “Build a feature,” “Refactor this module”). It’s more autonomous.
Edit Mode (or Inline Chat): Perfect for quick, scoped changes within the current file or selection (e.g., “Fix this function,” “Rename this variable,” “Add error handling here”). You have more direct control over the scope.

If you’re unsure exactly which files need changes or how to approach a larger task, let Agent Mode take the lead. Need precise modifications in a specific spot? Edit is often faster.

Conclusion: Your AI Pair Programmer Has Arrived

VS Code Agent Mode represents a significant step towards AI-assisted development. By delegating complex, multi-step coding tasks to GitHub Copilot, you can focus more on high-level design, problem-solving, and reviewing the generated code. You’ve seen how to set it up, guide it through building a simple application, and refine the results. While it requires clear instructions and careful review, Agent Mode has the potential to drastically speed up development workflows and tackle coding challenges more efficiently.

Ready to give your new AI pair programmer a try? Fire up VS Code, ensure Copilot is set up, switch to Agent Mode, and give it a real task from your current project. What will you build or refactor first?