Microsoft has released agent mode in preview for Visual Studio 17.14, marking a significant advancement in AI-assisted development. This update enhances GitHub Copilot's capabilities, enabling developers to interact with their codebase using natural language commands. The new features aim to streamline complex coding tasks and improve overall productivity within the integrated development environment.

Here’s what it offers:

Function: Agent mode autonomously identifies relevant context and files, suggests terminal commands for you to approve and run, iterates until tasks are complete, and invokes trusted tools via MCP servers.
How to Enable It: Use Visual Studio 17.14 GA or later, open Feature Search, search for copilot-chat.agent, enable Copilot Chat: Agent Enabled, and switch to "Agent" in the Copilot Chat window.
Agent Mode Uses: Apply Agent mode in various scenarios, including editing scopes, handling tool invocations, managing terminal commands, and more – perfect for complex projects.
Boost Agent Mode with MCP Servers: Enhance Agent mode by integrating Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to interact with your cloud environment, query databases, and manage version control.