VS Code Agents Window Orchestrates Multi-Project Agents

The Breakthrough

The VS Code team introduced the Agents window (preview), a dedicated interface that complements the editor window by optimizing agent orchestration across multiple projects, harnesses, and machines through a chat-centric layout with session lists.

What Actually Worked

• Users launch the Agents window from the VS Code title bar and review sessions grouped by workspace in the left sidebar; they start new sessions targeting specific repos like a dev containers website.
• Sessions default to the Copilot CLI, which creates an isolated work tree; users select alternative harnesses like the Claude agent, with customizations such as the GitHub MCP server editable inline.
• Users query agents via chat, for example, 'tell me more about the most recent issue in my repo'; the agent identifies tasks like adding a top-level CONTRIBUTING guide.
• Multiple agents run in parallel across sessions with isolated work trees; users track status in the session list, filter by complete or in-progress, approve task completions directly, and preview changes via repo tasks like 'run' in a scoped terminal that opens an integrated browser.
• Users review diffs (modal or docked), select line numbers for feedback like moving the CONTRIBUTING link earlier in the navbar, and submit; the agent iterates using the built-in 'act on feedback' skill; changes support review, merge, or sharing via pull request.
• Sessions access remote machines via SSH or Dev Tunnels; VS Code for the Web connects to tunneled local sessions for cross-device continuation.

Context

Developers running parallel agents across multiple workspaces requested a streamlined interface for management and output focus. The video demonstrates the window on repos like a dev containers site and another web app: querying issues, implementing a CONTRIBUTING guide, applying a green theme, and adding a dev container. This setup supports agent-first workflows for higher-level tasks while preserving familiar VS Code elements like sidebars, terminals, and browsers.

Notable Quotes

• 'The Agents window allows me to orchestrate agents across multiple projects harnesses and machines all from one spot.'
• 'The copilot CLI creates and uses that isolated workree and then the GitHub MCP server kicks in.'
• 'I can select a line number in the diff and provide that as feedback to the agent when I submit the feedback the agent uses the act on feedback skill which is built in.'
• 'I can use SSH or Dev Tunnels to run sessions on other machines.'