copilot-share

Overview
Extension Quick Guide
Session-Oriented Workflow
Framework
- 1. Deployment Architecture and Data Flow (Client-Host Topology)
- 2. Runtime Request Sequence (Open Web -> Verify Access Code -> Chat)
Install Extension
Host and Manage the Web Hub
Use Copilot in the Web Hub
- 1. Session Operations
- 2. Conversation Operations
Release Checklist

Overview

copilot-share is a VS Code extension that brings Copilot from the VS Code IDE to a local web hub, delivering a streamlined user experience with reliable session operations and context management. This extension helps you:

Access Copilot across devices on your local network
Easily share with family, friends, coworkers, or teams

copilot-share introduces the session-oriented workflow that treats prompts and sessions as reusable, reviewable work assets—just like source code. This approach helps you:

Organize and track LLM-driven work by objective or project
Build a personal or team knowledge base for smarter reuse
Review, refine, and share prompt sessions for better outcomes
Accelerate solution prototyping and AI-driven demonstrations

This workflow is ideal for technical showcases, collaborative solution design, and building knowledge graphs or POC demos with AI.

Session-Oriented Workflow

Traditionally, we used code to build applications and services. Because of that, we reviewed code to ensure it matched design goals and business scenarios, and that it met expectations for runtime reliability (memory/concurrency/I/O), privacy, and network safety.

Today, prompts guide LLMs to generate code, documentation, and resource files.

In this model:

Prompts are like source code.
Sessions are like source files.

That means prompts and sessions should be:

Treated as core work assets, just like code and source files.
Reviewed with the same level of discipline used for code and source files, so we can confirm direction, validate objectives, find gaps early, avoid misleading outputs, and reduce the risk of accepting responses that sound convincing but are inaccurate.
Used to build a personal knowledge base or knowledge graph—ideal for technical showcases, solution prototyping, AI-driven demonstrations, and proof-of-concept (POC) workflows, enabling smarter reuse and accelerated innovation.

Why call it session-oriented:

A session is a deliberate container for multiple prompts that serve one objective. This is why I call it a session-oriented workflow: it offers a structured way to manage complex projects when prompts drive LLM-based implementation.

Framework

1. Deployment Architecture and Data Flow (Client-Host Topology)

2. Runtime Request Sequence (Open Web -> Verify Access Code -> Chat)

sequenceDiagram
  autonumber
  participant U as User (Browser)
  participant W as Web App
  participant S as copilot-share Server
  participant L as VS Code Copilot

  U->>W: Open Local/Public Web URL
  W->>S: GET /api/server-info
  S-->>W: Server status and access-control mode

  alt Access control enabled
    U->>W: Enter access code
    W->>S: POST /api/access-code/verify
    S-->>W: Verification result
    W->>W: Store access code for API calls
  else Access control disabled
    W->>W: Continue without access code
  end

  U->>W: Send chat prompt
  W->>S: POST /api/chat (Bearer access code if enabled)
  S->>L: Forward prompt to Copilot model
  L-->>S: Model response (normal or stream)
  S-->>W: Chat response
  W-->>U: Render assistant output

Install Extension

Install copilot-share by clicking the VS Code extensions icon () and searching for copilot share.
After installation completes, the status bar will show the extension icon ().

Host and Manage the Web Hub

Click the extension icon () in the status bar to open the control menu window.

Menu	Purpose
HTTP Service	Show the web hub status: running state, port in use, and access control status.
Start Sharing	Start the web hub access control toggled on or off.
Stop Sharing	Stop the web hub.
Open Local Web	Open the web hub at the local URL (`http://127.0.0.1:***/`).
Copy Local URL	Copy the local web hub URL.
Open Public Web	Open the web hub using its LAN-accessible public URL.
Copy Public URL	Copy the public URL and show a QR code for quick access on another device.
Regenerate Access Code	Generate a new access code for the web hub.
Copy Access Code	Copy the current access code.
Set Access Code	Manually set the access code.
Set Status Bar Icons	Select the status bar icons for the extension.

3. Start the Web Hub

Click Start Sharing in the control menu to start the web hub.
- copilot-share lets you enable or disable the access control for local network (LAN) usage.

4. Stop the Web Hub

Click Stop Sharing in the control menu to shut down the web hub.

5. Use the Web Hub

5.1 Launch Web Hub on Host Device

Click Open Local Web or Open Public Web in the control menu to use Copilot in a browser on your host device.
- Web Hub UI:

5.2 Global Controls

UI Buttons

More Actions
Button Purpose Description

Button	Purpose
Collapse Sidebar	Toggle the sidebar between expanded and collapsed views to focus your workspace.
Create Session	Start a new chat session with Copilot.
Search All Sessions	Find matching text across every session in one search.
More Actions	Open the More Actions menu for additional workspace controls.
Share All Sessions	Export conversations from all sessions to individual Markdown files and download them as a single ZIP package for sharing and review.
Import Session	Import a Markdown session file to restore a previous conversation and metadata.
Export All Sessions	Export conversations and metadata from all sessions to individual Markdown files and download them as a single ZIP package for local backup, rebuild, review and transfer.
Copy Public URL	Copy the LAN-accessible web hub URL for quick sharing to other devices.
Open Public URL	Open the LAN-accessible web hub URL in your browser.

5.3 Session List Interactions

UI Buttons

More Actions
Button Purpose Description

Button	Purpose
Pin Session	Pin/Unpin this session to the top of the session list for quick access.
Lock Session	Lock/Unlock this session to prevent accidental updates or edits.
More Actions	Open the More Actions menu for additional session-list options.
Rename Session	Give this session a clearer, more meaningful name.
Clone Session	Duplicate this session with its full context for fast reuse.
Delete Session	Permanently remove this session when it is no longer needed.

5.4 Current Session Interactions

UI Buttons

More Actions

Session Summary Dialog

Input Area

More Input Actions

User Prompt Context Menu

Agent Response Context Menu
Button Description

Button	Purpose
Open Session Summary Dialog	Open the Session Summary dialog to generate and manage summary results.
Search Session	Search for matching text within the current session.
Share Session	Export the current session conversation as a Markdown file for sharing and review.
Enter Full Screen	Enter or exit full-screen mode for a more focused workspace.
More Actions	Open the More Actions menu for additional session options.
Copy Session	Copy the current session conversation to the clipboard for quick sharing.
Export Session	Export the current session conversation and metadata as a Markdown file for backup, rebuild, review, or transfer.
Clear Session	Clear the current session conversation, metadata, and context.
Clear Context	Clear only the current session context while keeping messages intact.
Rebuild Context	Clear and then rebuild the current session context using all existing session messages, while preserving the visible conversation state intact.
Back To Session	Close the summary dialog and return to the current session header.
Summarize Session Messages	Generate a concise summary of the current session to surface key topics and critical points, removing redundant noise.
Open Summary in Mini Window	Open summary results in a compact mini window.
Copy Summary	Copy summary results to the clipboard.
Share Summary	Export current summary results as a Markdown file for sharing and review.
Clear Summary	Clear the current summary results.
Drag to resize input area	Drag to increase or decrease the input area height.
More Input Actions	Open the More Actions menu for additional input options.
Input Tips	Show prompt-writing tips while you type.
Model Picker	Show available models and let you choose one.
Polish Prompt	Refine the original prompt so it guides Copilot more effectively.
Copy Original Prompt	Copy the original user prompt.
Send Prompt	Send the current prompt to the backend.
Enable Prompt Suggestions	Enable suggestions based on similar historical prompts while you type.
Copy	Copy Markdown content of selected user prompts or agent responses.
Favorite	Mark selected user prompts or agent responses as favorites.
Select Multiple	Select multiple user prompts or agent responses to perform `Copy`, `Favorite`, and `Delete` actions in batch.
Retry	Resend the selected user prompt to generate a new agent response.
Delete	Permanently delete selected user prompts or agent responses.

Use Copilot in the Web Hub

Access the web hub to use Copilot through a session-oriented workflow.

1. Session Operations

Operation	User Interaction
Locate Session	Easily locate sessions from the session list
Reorder Session	Drag a session with a mouse on PC, or long-press and swipe on mobile
Search Messages within Current Session	Click `Search Session`
Search Messages Across All Sessions	Click `Search All Sessions`
Manage Session Lifecycle	Click `Create Session`, `Rename Session`, `Delete Session`, `Pin Session`, and `Lock Session`
Export Current Session including conversation and metadata	Click `Export Session`
Import Session for Rebuild	Click `Import Session`
Copy Session Conversation to Clipboard for Review	Click `Copy Session`
Share Session Conversation via MD file for Review	Click `Share Session`
Clone Session for Reuse	Click `Clone Session`
Summarize Session to Remove Chat Noise and Focus on Key Outcomes	Click `Open Session Summary Dialog`
Manage Session Results	Click buttons in `Session Summary Dialog`
Clear Session Conversation and Context	Click `Clear Session`
Clear Only Session Context	Click `Clear Context`
Rebuild Session Context	Click `Rebuild Context`

2. Conversation Operations

Operation	User Interaction
Select Model	Click `Model Picker`
Polish Prompt	Click `Polish Prompt`
Resend Prompt	Click `Retry` in the `user prompt context menu`
Enable Prompt Suggestions	Click `Enable Prompt Suggestions`
Copy Message	Click `Copy` in the `user prompt context menu` or `agent response context menu`
Favorite Message	Click `Favorite` in the `user prompt context menu` or `agent response context menu`
Delete Message	Click `Delete` in the `user prompt context menu` or `agent response context menu`

Release Checklist

Use this checklist before every Marketplace publish:

Confirm metadata in package.json: publisher, version, license, homepage, bugs, categories, keywords.
Update CHANGELOG.md with user-facing changes for the release version.
Verify web assets are packaged: run npx @vscode/vsce package --no-yarn and confirm src/webapp/** is included in the VSIX file list.
Run quality gates: npm run pretest.
Run automated local release checks: npm run release:checklist.
Validate tag/version alignment before publish: npm run release:check-tag -- v<version>.
Manually smoke test in Extension Development Host:
- Start Sharing and Stop Sharing from the control menu.
- Open and copy local/public URLs.
- Verify access control flow with /api/access-code/verify.
- Verify protected chat APIs require bearer access code when access control is enabled.
Install the generated VSIX locally and retest key flows on at least one second LAN device.
Tag the release in git, then publish with npm run publish:vsce.

warlordy

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