Tools and context reference
Look up common tool names and context references for chat prompts in Visual Studio Code. For instructions on selecting tools, invoking them, and managing approvals, see Use tools with agents.
Reference types and availability
The # picker includes references that serve different purposes:
- Tools perform actions, such as reading a file or running a command. For example,
#search/textSearchsearches file contents. - Context items supply information to a prompt without asking the agent to perform an action. For example,
#selectionadds the selected editor text.
Available references depend on your harness, enabled extensions, and session capabilities. Type # in the chat input to see the current list. Extensions and MCP servers can provide additional tools beyond those listed here.
User-defined tool sets are deprecated and are not supported in the Copilot harness. To replace an existing tool-set file, follow Replace tool sets. This does not remove tool groups in the Tools tab or supported built-in aliases.
Referencing a tool does not bypass its approval and permission controls.
Tools
The following tables use Local harness tool reference names. Do not assume that these identifiers map directly to Copilot harness tools. In a Copilot session, use the Tools tab to review the available tools.
Read and search workspace files
Edit files and work with notebooks
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
#edit/createDirectory |
Create a directory. |
#edit/createFile |
Create a file. |
#edit/editFiles |
Apply edits to files. |
#edit/editNotebook |
Edit a notebook. |
#read/getNotebookSummary |
List notebook cells and their details. |
#read/readNotebookCellOutput |
Read the output from a notebook cell. |
#execute/runNotebookCell |
Run a notebook cell. |
Run commands and diagnose tests
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
#execute/createAndRunTask |
Create and run a workspace task. |
#execute/getTerminalOutput |
Get output from a running terminal command. |
#execute/runInTerminal |
Run a shell command in the integrated terminal. |
#execute/testFailure |
Get unit test failure information. |
#read/terminalLastCommand |
Get the last terminal command and its output. |
#read/terminalSelection |
Get the current terminal selection. |
Access the web and GitHub
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
#web/fetch |
Fetch a web page. |
#githubRepo |
Search a GitHub repository semantically. Specify the repository as owner/repo. |
#githubTextSearch |
Search a GitHub repository or organization for text or code patterns. |
Delegate and track work
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
#agent/runSubagent |
Run a task in an isolated subagent context. |
#todos |
Track task progress with a todo list. |
#vscode/askQuestions |
Ask clarifying questions with interactive controls. |
To coordinate work across sessions, see Coordinate work across sessions.
Configure projects and the editor
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
#newWorkspace |
Create a workspace. |
#vscode/extensions |
Search for extensions and information about them. |
#vscode/getProjectSetupInfo |
Get project-scaffolding instructions and configuration. |
#vscode/installExtension |
Install an extension. |
#vscode/runCommand |
Run a VS Code command. |
#vscode/VSCodeAPI |
Get information about editor functionality and extension APIs. |
Context items
Type # followed by a file, folder, or symbol name, then select the item from the picker. The placeholders below represent the name of the item you want to attach.
Use Add Context or drag items into chat to attach other context, such as images, errors, or GitHub issues. See Add context to chat for supported sources and attachment methods.