Best of Visual Studio — October 2025

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   Article

   Visual Studio Blog·31w

   Introducing Planning in Visual Studio (Public Preview)

   Visual Studio 2022 17.14 introduces Planning in Chat, a public preview feature that enables GitHub Copilot to handle complex, multi-step coding tasks through structured plans. Instead of simple prompts, Copilot now creates markdown-based plans that break down large tasks, research codebases, and execute steps iteratively while adapting to new context. The feature uses transparent tool calls and hierarchical planning techniques, showing 15% higher success rates in SWE-bench testing. Plans are stored as temporary files with progress tracking, allowing developers to monitor and control each step of the AI-assisted workflow.

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   Article

   Visual Studio Blog·31w

   Modernizing Visual Studio Extension Compatibility: Effortless Migration for Extension Developers and Users

   Visual Studio 2026 introduces a new extension compatibility model that eliminates the need for developers to update version ranges with each major release. Extensions built for Visual Studio 2022 will automatically work in 2026 without modifications. The new model shifts from version-based to API-based compatibility, with Visual Studio committing to minimize breaking changes to stable APIs while introducing new features through preview APIs first. Extension developers no longer need to publish updates for compatibility, and users will have their extensions automatically installed when upgrading.

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   Article

   SD Times·30w

   Microsoft announces public preview for planning to improve how Copilot in Visual Studio handles complex tasks

   Microsoft released a public preview of planning capabilities for Copilot in Visual Studio's Agent Mode. The feature breaks down complex coding tasks into smaller, manageable steps by researching the codebase and creating structured execution plans. Initial testing shows 15% higher success rates and 20% more resolved tasks with GPT-5 and Claude Sonnet 4. The planning feature automatically activates for multi-step prompts while simple queries receive direct responses. Available in Visual Studio 2022 17.14 and Visual Studio 2026 Insiders.

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