GitHub and Azure DevOps are evolving to support a range of AI tools that streamline and revolutionize the coding process. A key development in this area is Azure Boards’ integration with GitHub Copilot, which now includes support for custom agents. These agents are specialized versions of Copilot, configured according to specific workflows, coding conventions, and tool preferences as defined in Markdown-based agent profiles. Teams can create these custom agents at either the repository or organization level by placing <code>.agent.md</code> files in a <code>.github/agents</code> folder. Once set up, these agents become visible in Azure DevOps, facilitating standardized development workflows across teams when creating pull requests linked to work items.
Simultaneously, GitHub has unveiled its Agent HQ, now in public preview, which expands support to Anthropic Claude and OpenAI Codex agents. This initiative allows Copilot Pro+ and Enterprise users to leverage multiple AI agents within GitHub, GitHub Mobile, and VS Code. This enhancement provides teams with the flexibility to compare different AI solutions to a single problem, enabling parallel exploration of different approaches and trade-offs. Changes generated by these agents are submitted as draft pull requests, aligning with existing review workflows.
Through the unified Agent HQ dashboard, Pro+ and Enterprise subscribers can select agents like Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex, assigning them tasks and overseeing their progress asynchronously. These agents can not only initiate new pull requests but also contribute to ongoing ones through standardized commands. With each agent session utilizing one premium request from the subscriber’s allocation, developers gain a robust toolset designed to optimize their coding efficiency and precision, facilitating a more adaptable and informed development process.

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GitHub and Azure DevOps now support custom AI agents through Azure Boards integration with GitHub Copilot, allowing teams to configure specialized agents using Markdown profiles in repository folders. GitHub's Agent HQ (public preview) extends support to Anthropic Claude and OpenAI Codex, enabling Pro+ and Enterprise users to run multiple AI agents simultaneously across GitHub, GitHub Mobile, and VS Code. These agents can create and contribute to pull requests, with a unified dashboard for task assignment and progress tracking.

Enhancing Development Workflows with GitHub Copilot and Custom Agent Integration