Updated
Updated · InfoWorld · Jul 21
Microsoft Ships VS Code 1.129 With Agent Host, Adds ! Chat Commands
Updated
Updated · InfoWorld · Jul 21

Microsoft Ships VS Code 1.129 With Agent Host, Adds ! Chat Commands

2 articles · Updated · InfoWorld · Jul 21

Summary

  • VS Code 1.129, released July 15, centers on a dedicated agent host that runs agent sessions in a separate process and can share one session across multiple editor windows.
  • The redesign also adds a docked editor panel in the Agents window, merging file details and edits into a shared tabbed pane so agent output is reviewed more like normal code work.
  • New workflow features let developers prefix chat prompts with ! to run terminal commands, while Copilot harness users in the Agents window can bring their own model keys.
  • Microsoft is also previewing a modernized workbench UI behind an experimental setting, and 1.129.1 already fixes 3 bugs including remote agent hosts failing to start.

Insights

As AI agents gain terminal access in VS Code, are developers creating a new backdoor for attackers?
Is Microsoft's new AI agent architecture an open platform for innovation or just another walled garden?
With AI agents now handling entire coding tasks, what is the future role for human software developers?