Summary of "DEMO - Build your first app with agent mode | Ep 6 of 6 - VS Code Learn"
What the demo shows
- Using GitHub Copilot Chat inside VS Code to build a small app by first creating a plan (plan mode) and then switching to agent/autopilot to implement it.
- The end result is a minimal URL shortener.
End result (high level)
A minimal URL shortener with a Python backend (Python 3.14), SQLite3 storage, FastAPI web framework, and a tiny static front end. Short slug encoding/decoding uses base62.
Static front end features
- index.html and style.css
- Input field for a URL to shorten
- Clickable shortened URL that opens in a new tab
- Lookup UI to paste a short slug and reveal the original URL
- Optionally steered to a dark theme
Product features and agent capabilities demonstrated
Plan mode
- Agent outlines the work before implementation.
- Agent asks clarifying questions (framework choice, slug generation) and incorporates responses into the plan.
- Enables back-and-forth refinement of requirements prior to coding.
Start implementation / Autopilot
- Switching to agent/autopilot auto-approves the commands the agent runs.
- Implementation can run locally or via the Copilot CLI.
Steering and control
- User can steer the agent while tasks run (e.g., request a dark theme), stop/continue, or add messages to the queue.
- Agent updates its to-do list as it proceeds (examples: create base62 module, create DB, create main.py, create style.css, create static index.html).
Debugging and transparency
- Agent debug logs and chat debug view show LLM calls, tool calls, and step-by-step activity.
- A hidden terminal shows the actual commands executed by the agent (file creation, tests, dev server start).
Sessions
- Multiple sessions can run concurrently (for example, implementation session + README-generation session).
- Agent can read project files to produce documentation like README automatically.
End-to-end verification
- The demo runs the dev server, opens the app in the browser, shortens a URL and verifies redirect behavior, and tests the lookup feature.
Implementation artifacts created
- main.py (FastAPI app)
- Database setup using SQLite3
- base62 encoder/decoder module
- static/index.html
- static/style.css (dark theme)
- README generated by a separate session
- Test/verification: agent executed a redirect test (example: shortened github.com/features/copilot) and confirmed successful routing
How this fits into the learning path
- Final episode in an introductory series that ties together earlier debugging and chat views by walking through: plan → clarify → implement → verify.
- Next topics signaled: deeper dives into GitHub Copilot CLI, custom agent customization, MCP servers, and more advanced agent/tooling workflows.
Steps demonstrated (concise)
- Create a new project in VS Code and open agent debug views.
- Open GitHub Copilot Chat and choose plan mode.
- Dictate requirements (Python 3.14, SQLite3, FastAPI, base62, static front end, lookup feature).
- Answer agent clarification questions to refine the plan.
- Start implementation with autopilot (agent runs and auto-approves commands).
- Monitor the to-do list, steer UI choices (dark theme), and inspect debug logs/hidden terminal.
- Run and verify the dev server; test shortening and lookup functionality.
- Run a separate session to generate a README from the created files.
Main speakers / sources
- Presenter / demonstrator from VS Code Learn (demonstrating GitHub Copilot Chat agent mode and autopilot).
- Tools shown: GitHub Copilot Chat (plan mode, agent/autopilot), VS Code, FastAPI, Python, SQLite3, static HTML/CSS, and the Copilot CLI (mentioned as an option).
Category
Technology
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