Visual Studio 2022 v17.14 Adds Copilot Agent Mode and AI Features

Microsoft has announced the general availability of Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14, featuring agent mode for GitHub Copilot and other AI-driven enhancements. This update marks a significant leap in developer productivity tools.

Key Features

GitHub Copilot Agent Mode

The standout addition is the agent mode for GitHub Copilot, now in public preview. This mode allows developers to:

• Use natural language to instruct Copilot for complex, multi-step tasks.
• Analyze and fix errors across the entire codebase.
• Execute terminal commands and analyze runtime errors.

Example: Copilot can now handle tasks like ‘replace the use of HttpClient with IHttpClientFactory in the solution’ with high accuracy, as noted by developers on Reddit.

Additional Copilot Enhancements

• Model Context Protocol (MCP) Support (Preview): Provides structured access to external tools and data.
• AI Documentation Comment Generation: Automatically generates comments for C++ and C# (triggered by typing /// in C#).
• Next Edit Suggestion (NES): Predicts and suggests edits anywhere in the file, not just at the cursor position.

Debugging and Diagnostics

Version 17.14 introduces debugging improvements, including:

• Real-time UI updates for .NET MAUI and WPF apps.
• A new Mono debug engine for .NET MAUI.
• LINQ expression hover tips and .NET Allocation Tool optimizations.

C++ Improvements

C++ developers gain:

• Dynamic Debugging: Debug optimized builds without recompiling.
• C++23 Support: Includes new language features.
• Faster Builds: Community feedback highlights reduced build times (Reddit).

Release Cadence

Microsoft is accelerating GitHub Copilot updates to monthly releases, diverging from the standard three-month cycle for Visual Studio.

About the Author: Edin Kapić covers developer tools and AI advancements.