Load the plugin in Visual Studio Code¶
Visual Studio Code can load Agent Plugins 1.0 directly. In this contributor chapter you will install a local package that has not been merged into a marketplace and verify that VS Code discovers its skill. Normal users install merged packages from the configured marketplace.
Find the absolute plugin path¶
In the integrated terminal, run:
On Windows Git Bash, use cygpath -m "$PWD/plugins/release-notes" instead to obtain a VS Code-compatible C:/... path. Append /plugins/release-notes to the macOS or Linux path.
Open the Command Palette with Shift+Command+P on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows and Linux. Run Chat: Install Plugin from Source, enter the absolute plugin path, review the trust prompt, and choose Trust.
VS Code recognizes the folder as a standalone local plugin and registers it for the current profile. No user-settings edit or window reload is required.
Check it in the UI¶
Run Chat: Open Customizations from the Command Palette and select Plugins. release-notes should appear as an enabled local plugin.
Run Chat: Configure Skills.... The release-notes skill should appear. This is the direct evidence that VS Code read plugin.json and discovered the immediate skills/release-notes/SKILL.md entry.
Check the same package with Copilot CLI¶
From the VS Code terminal, run:
The output should contain an External Plugins section with release-notes. This command mounts the same portable folder without copying it.
Use it¶
Open Copilot Chat in agent mode and send:
Use the release-notes skill. Version 0.1.0 contains one change: add the first portable release-notes plugin. No upgrade action is required.
The response should use Highlights and Changes, and should not invent extra work. The exact prose can vary; the skill selection in Chat: Configure Skills... is the deterministic discovery check.
Recap¶
VS Code and Copilot CLI loaded the portable package directly.
Merge the first tutorial change¶
Commit and push the reviewed branch, then open a pull request into main on your fork. Wait for its checks, merge it, and return to a clean current main:
git add plugins/release-notes catalog/plugins.json .github/plugin/marketplace.json .agents/plugins/marketplace.json
git commit -m "Add release-notes plugin"
git push -u origin skill/release-notes/release-notes
git switch main
git pull --ff-only origin main
The next chapter assumes that pull request is merged. Next, add an MCP server.