ACE for VS Code

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Automatic Context Engine - Pattern learning for GitHub Copilot that captures what works and retrieves it when needed.

By Code Engine GmbH

Features

🤖 @ace Chat Participant - Ask Copilot to search patterns, capture learning, and more
🔧 Language Model Tools - ace_search, ace_learn, ace_status, ace_get_playbook
🔐 Browser-based login - Secure device code authentication (no API tokens to copy)
📁 Multi-Root Workspace Support - Each folder gets its own ACE configuration
📊 Status Panel - Real-time playbook statistics with session expiry info
⚙️ Configure Panel - Easy server and project setup with login support
🤖 Agent Files - Generate .github/agents/ for CI/CD AI assistants

Quick Start

Step 1 is required - The extension won't work without an ACE account!

Sign up for ACE - Create your account (required!)
Install from VS Code Extensions marketplace
Open Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux)
Run ACE: Configure - opens setup panel
Click "Login with Browser" - authenticates via your browser
Select your organization and project
Run ACE: Update Agent Files - generates .github/agents/ for CI/CD AI assistants
Start using @ace in GitHub Copilot Chat!

Commands

Command	Description
ACE: Login	Login via browser-based device code authentication
ACE: Logout	Logout and clear authentication tokens
ACE: Configure	Opens webview panel to login, select organization/project
ACE: Show Playbook Status	Opens webview panel showing playbook statistics
ACE: Bootstrap Playbook	Initialize patterns from existing codebase (git history, docs)
ACE: Capture Learning	Manually trigger learning capture
ACE: Clear Playbook	Clear all learned patterns
ACE: Update Agent Files	Generate/update `.github/agents/` files
ACE: Quick Actions	Quick access to common ACE actions

Using ACE with Copilot

Agent Mode (Recommended)

For automatic pattern retrieval before tasks, select the ace-expert agent in Copilot Chat:

Open GitHub Copilot Chat (Cmd+I or Ctrl+I)
Click the agent selector dropdown (top of chat panel)
Select ace-expert from the list
Start coding - ACE tools are now available to Copilot automatically!

When ace-expert is selected, Copilot can automatically call ace_search before implementing and ace_learn after completing work.

Chat Commands

Alternatively, use @ace commands directly in any Copilot chat:

Command	Description
`@ace /search <query>`	Search for relevant patterns in the playbook
`@ace /patterns [section]`	View playbook patterns by section
`@ace /status`	Show playbook statistics
`@ace /learn`	Capture patterns from the current session
`@ace /top`	Show highest-rated patterns
`@ace /domains`	List available pattern domains
`@ace /bootstrap`	Initialize playbook from codebase
`@ace /clear --confirm`	Clear all patterns

Language Model Tools

ACE provides 4 tools that GitHub Copilot can use automatically:

Tool	Description
`ace_search`	Search playbook for relevant patterns before implementing
`ace_learn`	Capture patterns and lessons learned from work
`ace_status`	Show playbook statistics
`ace_get_playbook`	Retrieve patterns filtered by section or quality

How It Works

ACE creates a self-improving learning cycle where each session benefits from previous work:

Step	Action	Description
🚀	Start Task	You begin work in VS Code
⬇️
📖	Retrieve Patterns	Copilot calls `ace_search` → Fetches learned strategies
⬇️
⚡	Execute	Copilot completes task using patterns
⬇️
💡	Capture Learning	Copilot calls `ace_learn` → Playbook grows smarter
⬇️
🔄	Next Session	Enhanced patterns available → Back to Start!

SSE Streaming (v0.4.23+)

Learn and Bootstrap operations now use Server-Sent Events (SSE) for real-time progress:

/learn → Uses /traces/stream endpoint with live progress messages
/bootstrap → Uses /bootstrap/stream endpoint with live progress messages
Automatic fallback to non-streaming endpoints if SSE is not supported

Playbook Sections

strategies_and_hard_rules - Architectural patterns, coding principles
useful_code_snippets - Reusable code patterns with context
troubleshooting_and_pitfalls - Known issues, gotchas, solutions
apis_to_use - Recommended libraries, frameworks, integration patterns

Multi-Root Workspace Support

In multi-root workspaces, each folder can have its own ACE configuration:

Config panel shows folder name in title and header
Per-folder settings saved to .vscode/settings.json
Folder picker appears when multiple folders are open
All chat commands are folder-aware

Agent Files (v0.4.16+)

ACE generates GitHub Copilot agent files for automatic pattern learning. Run ACE: Update Agent Files to create:

.github/
├── instructions/ace.instructions.md  # Path-specific (won't overwrite your copilot-instructions.md)
├── skills/ace-pattern-learning/SKILL.md  # Agent Skill for auto-trigger
├── agents/ace.agent.md  # ace-expert agent (PRIMARY)
├── agents/ace-learn.agent.md  # Learning capture agent
└── .ace-version.json  # Version tracking

Agent Skills

Agent Skills are auto-triggered by Copilot based on your prompt. When you type keywords like "implement", "build", "fix", or "debug", Copilot automatically loads ACE patterns before starting work.

ace-expert Agent (Recommended)

For guaranteed pattern retrieval, select ace-expert as your agent in Copilot Chat. This ensures ACE tools are always available.

Configuration

Workspace Settings

Configure in VS Code Settings (Cmd+,) or .vscode/settings.json:

Setting	Description	Default
`ace.projectId`	ACE Project ID (format: prj_xxxxx)	`""`
`ace.orgId`	ACE Organization ID (format: org_xxxxx)	`""`
`ace.serverUrl`	ACE API Server URL	`https://ace-api.code-engine.app`
`ace.automation.level`	Automation level: manual, smart, aggressive	`smart`
`ace.automation.showStatusBar`	Show ACE status in status bar	`true`

Requirements

VS Code (v1.105.0+)
GitHub Copilot Chat extension
ACE account at ace-ai.app

Support & Community

Need help? Have questions? Join our community!

💬 Slack Community - Chat with the team and other users
📖 Documentation - Guides and API reference
🐛 Report Issues - Bug reports and feature requests

License

MIT - Code Engine GmbH

ACE for GitHub Copilot

code engine GmbH