Agent skill · software engineering · microsoft
vscode-dev-workbench
Use when the user wants to run the vscode.dev server locally and exercise the VS Code workbench or Agents window in the integrated browser against the local `microsoft/vscode` sources. Covers starting the dev server, the `vscode-quality=dev` URL, browser-driven interaction patterns, and optionally wiring up a local mock agent host for the Agents window.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific commands and patterns for running and interacting with the vscode.dev server locally, which the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires npm installed locally. About 4k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 188,455 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Running vscode.dev Against Local VS Code Sources The vscode-dev repo is the vscode.dev server. When run locally with ?vscode-quality=dev, it serves the VS Code web workbench (or Agents window at /agents) from the sibling microsoft/vscode checkout. This is the fastest way to validate web-only changes to the workbench without shipping an Insiders build. Layout assumption vscode-dev and vscode must be sibling folders: If your paths differ, check server/ in vscode-dev for the source root resolution — the /vscode-sources/ route maps to ../vscode. Start the dev server Critical: Run npm run dev from the vscode-dev folder, NOT from vscode. The vscode repo has no dev script and will fail with npm error Missing script: "dev". Terminal tools that simplify/strip leading cd into separate commands will silently keep the cwd of a previous terminal — always use an absolute pushd or verify with pwd before pnpm run dev. If you're driving this through an agent/terminal tool, prefer: On first start you may see one crash like Cannot find module './indexes' — it's the watcher racing the first build. nodemon restarts automatically once out/ finishes compiling. The server is ready when curl -sk -o /dev/null -w "%{httpcode}" https://127.0.0.1:3000/ returns 200. URLs https://127.0.0.1:3000/?vscode-quality=dev — main workbench, local dev sources https://127.0.0.1:3000/agents?vscode-quality=dev — Agents window, local dev sources https://127.0.0.1:3000/?vscode-version=<commit> — pinned production commit Add &vscode-log=trace for verbose client logging Interacting via the integrated browser Use openbrowserpage and the standard browser tools. Enter inserts a newline in the chat input The chat input is a Monaco editor — page.keyboard.press('Enter') inserts a newline. To send, click the Send button (a[aria-label^="Send"]) or use the send keybinding. Hard-reloading after a rebuild The service worker caches client assets aggressively. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills microsoft/vscode-dev-workbench