XAP Assistant

Your AI coding partner for the XAP SDK — understands projects, helps write code, and deploys to PiXP, all from VS Code Chat.

Quick Start

1. Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
2. Open a XAP project workspace
3. Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I)
4. Type @xap followed by what you need — done!

@xap help me understand this project: ./src/MyExperiment

No setup, no config files — the assistant is ready to use immediately.

The screenshot below shows project understanding — just one of many things @xap can do. It also designs features, writes code, builds, deploys to PiXP, and more. See the full step-by-step walkthrough below.

Features

Chat with @xap

Type @xap in VS Code Chat and describe what you need in natural language. The assistant suggests an approach based on the complexity of your request.

Smart Workflow

The assistant adapts its workflow to the task complexity:

• Simple changes (bug fix, config tweak, small refactor) — implements directly
• Complex features (new plugin, multi-file changes) — creates a design document for your review first, then implements after your approval
• Questions — answers using project analysis and built-in XAP SDK knowledge
• Build & deploy — builds the project and uploads experiments to PiXP

XAP SDK Expertise

The assistant understands XAP SDK conventions — plugins, workflows, schemas, build configuration, and common pitfalls. It generates XAP-aware code that follows established patterns, reducing the amount of manual correction needed.

Azure DevOps Integration

The assistant can reference Azure DevOps resources directly from your prompts:

• Refer to ADO files, commits, and pull requests by URL
• Browse and search code across ADO repositories
• Use ADO context to inform implementation decisions

Full Coding Agent

Beyond answering questions, the assistant can take action in your workspace:

• Read, edit, and create files
• Run builds, tests, and deployments
• Search code and diagnose errors

All actions are visible in the chat, so you stay in control.

Demo: A Developer's Workflow

Here's how a typical development session looks with @xap:

Step 1 — Understand an unfamiliar project

You've been assigned to work on the Crisp experiment — a large XAP solution you haven't seen before. Point @xap at the solution file and ask it to understand the project. The assistant reads the solution structure, experiment files, workflows, plugins, and schemas step by step:

Input

Output

Step 2 — Implement a feature (design-first)

Now you need to add an Editorial Magazine feature — a new workflow with multiple plugins. You describe the requirements in detail, referencing existing schemas and an ADO commit for context. For complex changes like this, the assistant first creates a detailed design document (saved to your workspace for future reference) and presents a design summary in the chat for your review before writing any code — listing Bond schemas, plugins, configs, and workflows it plans to create:

Input

Output

Step 3 — Review feedback, approve, and watch it code

The assistant incorporates your feedback (e.g., changing the ObjectStore key, adjusting timeout settings, adding a feature flag) and presents an Updated Design Summary showing exactly what changed. Once you type @xap approve, it implements everything — creating 6 new files, modifying existing ones, and running the build to verify zero errors:

Input

Output

Step 4 — Deploy to PiXP

Once you're happy with the code, deploy the experiment to PiXP for testing. The assistant locates the build output, runs the PiXP uploader, lets you select a deployment region, and confirms the upload with a summary:

Step 5 — Fix issues and iterate

Need to change something after testing? Just describe the update. Here the developer decides to remove the feature flag from the INI and let the predicate plugin handle the gating instead. The assistant understands the change, plans the fix, and will rebuild and redeploy — all in one step:

Vision & Roadmap

XAP Assistant v1 focuses on local development — from understanding a project to deploying an experiment. It's the first step toward a unified assistant covering the entire XAP development lifecycle.

Coming in Future Releases

Have ideas for what should come next? Share your feedback in the Teams channel.

Slash Commands

Slash commands are optional shortcuts — use them when you want to hint at a specific workflow, or just describe what you need in plain language.

Example: @xap /read private/xap/experiments/MyExperiment

Recommended Model

For the best experience, use Claude Opus 4.6 in VS Code Agent mode:

Tip: The extension works with any Copilot Chat model, but Claude Opus tends to produce better results for complex XAP projects due to its larger context window and stronger reasoning.

Note: The recommended model may change as newer models become available. Check back for updates.

Requirements

Settings

Open Settings (Ctrl+,) and search for xapAssistant:

Troubleshooting

Feedback & Support

Have a question, found a bug, or want to suggest a feature?

• Report a bug or request a feature: Post in the Q&A tab on the Marketplace page
• Teams channel: Xap Partner QA

Privacy

This extension collects usage data (command usage, response times, error diagnostics) and sends it to Microsoft to help improve our products and services. Read our Privacy Statement to learn more. This extension respects the telemetry.telemetryLevel setting — you can learn more about disabling telemetry at VS Code FAQ.