AltTester® AI Extension

Supercharge your testing workflow with AI-powered assistance for AltTester®! This extension brings intelligent test generation, optimization suggestions, and seamless integration with AI assistants directly to VS Code.

✨ Features

🤖 AI-Powered Test Generation: Get intelligent suggestions for AltTester® test code
⚡ Instant Setup: One-click installation of the AltTester® CLI and configuration of its MCP server (alttester mcp)
🎮 Live Game Interaction: Let AI connect to your running game and drive it — find objects, tap, swipe, inspect state
🧭 Autonomous Game Exploration: One click launches an AI agent (Claude Code or Copilot Chat) that connects to your game, maps screens and objects, and suggests test scenarios
🧠 AI Skills: Install AltTester® AI skills (helper, Robot Framework) into your workspace
🏗️ Project Scaffolding: Create Python or .NET test projects from VS Code
🔧 Smart Test Optimization: AI-driven recommendations to improve your test performance
💬 AI Chat Integration: Works with GitHub Copilot Chat (#alttester) and Claude Code (via the alttester MCP tool)
🔄 Easy Updates: Easily get the latest AltTester® CLI

The CLI is installed to ~/.alttester/CLI — a shared location also used by AltTester® Desktop, so you never end up with duplicate installations. The same alttester binary works as a standalone command-line tool and as the MCP server.

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
Search for "AltTester AI"
Click Install

Setup

Look for the AltTester® logo in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)
Click on it to open the setup panel
Click "Download & Install" to get the AltTester® CLI (skipped automatically if AltTester® Desktop already installed it)
Click "Configure VS Code" to register the MCP server (alttester mcp)
Reload VS Code when prompted

Start Testing with AI

Open any project with AltTester® tests
Use GitHub Copilot Chat with #alttester commands, or Claude Code (claude mcp add alttester -- alttester mcp once, then just ask)
Hit 🤖 Explore Game in the status panel to let an AI agent autonomously explore your running game
Optionally install the AltTester® AI skills into your workspace (Install AI Skills button)
Get intelligent suggestions for test automation
Let AI help optimize your testing workflows

Autonomous Exploration

The Explore Game command starts an AI-driven exploration of your running game:

Claude Code: runs in a dedicated panel inside VS Code (powered by the Claude Agent SDK). Requires a Claude Code install (e.g. npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code) — auto-detected from PATH and common install locations, or set explicitly via the Set Claude Code Path command (also available from the panel's Settings section). Sign in by running claude in a terminal, or set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY.
Copilot Chat: opens Copilot Chat in agent mode with the exploration prompt, using the configured alttester MCP server.

💡 Usage Examples

AI Chat Commands

#alttester Connect to my game and show me the current scene
#alttester Tap the Play button and verify the level loads
#alttester Help me write a test for a login button
#alttester How can I optimize this test scenario?
#alttester Generate test code for mobile app testing
#alttester What's the best practice for this test pattern?

Test Generation

The extension provides intelligent suggestions for:

UI Element Testing: Generate tests for buttons, inputs, and interactive elements
Mobile App Testing: Platform-specific test patterns and best practices
Test Optimization: Performance improvements and code quality suggestions
Test Maintenance: Refactoring and updating existing test suites

🔧 Requirements

VS Code: Version 1.74.0 or higher
Internet Connection: Required for downloading the AltTester® CLI
AltTester® Framework: For running the generated tests (optional for AI assistance)

🌟 Why AltTester® AI?

Accelerate Development: Generate test code 10x faster with AI assistance
Improve Quality: Get expert-level suggestions for test optimization
Learn Best Practices: AI provides educational insights about testing patterns
Stay Updated: Automatic updates ensure you always have the latest features

📚 Learn More

🤝 Support

Need help? We're here for you, check out how to reach out here: https://alttester.com/custom-support/

Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Working

Ensure you have MCP-compatible extensions installed in VS Code
Check that the MCP server is properly configured in settings
Try removing and re-installing the MCP server configuration
Restart VS Code after configuration changes

Download Issues

Ensure you have an active internet connection
Check if your firewall is blocking the download
Verify that the AltTester website is accessible

Permission Issues (macOS/Linux)

The extension automatically sets executable permissions on Unix-like systems. If you encounter permission issues, you can manually run:

chmod +x ~/.alttester/CLI/alttester

Update Fails Because the Binary Is in Use

The CLI binary cannot be replaced while an MCP server is running from it. Reload VS Code (which stops the MCP server) and retry the update.

📄 License & Copyright

AltTester® is a registered trademark. This extension is developed and maintained by the AltTester® team.