--- title: "AI coding agent capabilities for Visual Studio | iolys" description: "Explore AI coding agent capabilities in Visual Studio: MCP, parallel workspaces and worktrees, custom agents, skills, permissions, GitHub, and build/test loops." url: "https://getiolys.com/capabilities" language: "en" updated: "2026-10-03" --- # AI coding capabilities for Visual Studio Connect your tools, run independent tasks in parallel, and reuse the way your team works. iolys gives your AI agent the context and tools to take a C# or .NET task from investigation through code changes, builds, tests, and review in Visual Studio 2026. ## MCP tools: Bring your services into the conversation. Model Context Protocol (MCP) connects your agent to tools from services such as documentation systems, issue trackers, or databases. Add a server from a registry or configure your own connection, then choose which tools to enable. Calls remain subject to your permissions and the selected model's tool support. **Put it to work:** With a documentation MCP server connected, ask: Find the migration guide for this library and explain which changes affect our solution. [Read the MCP tools documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/customization/mcp.html) ## Parallel workspaces & worktrees: Give independent tasks their own space. Work on a bug fix and an unrelated feature at the same time, each in its own Git worktree and branch. Open each workspace in a separate Visual Studio instance to keep files and build state apart. New branches start from the current commit, so commit any starting changes they need. Review and integrate each branch when it is ready. **Put it to work:** Use one workspace to add a CSV export and another to investigate a slow test suite. Give each conversation a focused task. [Read the Parallel workspaces & worktrees documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/guide/parallel-workspaces.html) ## Custom agents: Set up a specialist you can use again. Create a code reviewer, test writer, or implementation agent with a reusable role, instructions, and selected tools. The guided creator helps you define it from chat. Keep an agent in your workspace to share it through Git, or save it globally for your other projects. Its tools still follow your permission settings. **Put it to work:** Create a C# reviewer that reads the diff, checks related code, and reports concrete defects without editing files. [Read the Custom agents documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/customization/agents.html) ## Agent skills: Reuse your team's working methods. Package a repeatable workflow in a SKILL.md file with the reference files, scripts, or assets it needs. Create a skill from chat or import an existing folder, then select it for a task. Workspace skills can travel with your repository. Loading a skill supplies instructions; it does not grant permission to execute its scripts. **Put it to work:** Use a migration-review skill to check data preservation, nullable changes, indexes, and compatibility with the previous release. [Read the Agent skills documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/customization/skills.html) ## Permissions & control: Choose when the agent should ask. Use Interactive to approve edits and ordinary commands, Auto for routine workspace work, or Full Access for fewer restrictions. Control individual tools, managed Git and GitHub rights, and MCP server execution. Tool-specific blocks and mandatory confirmations still apply in Full Access. Inspect tool activity and revoke session grants when needed. **Put it to work:** Allow repository reads while keeping writes on Always ask. Review each proposed repository change before approving it. [Read the Permissions & control documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/customization/permissions.html) ## GitHub integration: Take an issue through to a pull request. Connect GitHub to read issues, inspect pull requests and their checks, and create or update a PR from chat. iolys guides you through its managed GitHub CLI setup and browser sign-in. Operations are scoped to your workspace's repository and follow its permissions. Linked PR status also appears on worktree cards when available. **Put it to work:** Review this branch's pull request and its checks. Explain any failing checks and identify the files involved. [Read the GitHub integration documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/guide/git.html) ## Build, test & review: Give the agent feedback from your solution. Let the agent inspect projects, read compiler errors and warnings, discover tests, and run builds and selected tests. It can use the results to refine a change in the same conversation. Review the file diffs and validation results in Visual Studio before you commit. **Put it to work:** Investigate this failing test, make a focused fix, then run the relevant tests and build. Summarize the changes and any remaining failures. [Read the Build, test & review documentation](https://docs.getiolys.com/reference/tools.html#change-and-validate-code) ## From a request to a reviewed change Start with a solution in Visual Studio 2026 and a connected model that supports tools. Enable the tools the task needs. Git is required for separate worktrees; available actions also depend on the provider, chat mode, agent, and permissions. 1. **Set the scope.** Describe the expected outcome and relevant code. Choose a custom agent or skill when you have a reusable approach. Use a separate worktree for an independent task. 1. **Make and check the change.** Let the agent inspect the solution, use enabled tools, and make the change. Ask it to build and run the relevant tests, then address the failures it finds. 1. **Review and share.** Inspect the diff and results. When ready, ask for a commit, a push, and a pull request. Review each branch and verify the combined result after integration. ## Explore iolys - [Compare AI providers](https://getiolys.com/providers) - [Explore Git and GitHub integrations](https://getiolys.com/integrations) [Install iolys for Visual Studio 2026](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=iolys.iolys-visual-studio) [Join the iolys Discord community](https://discord.gg/NMnFZmPsc5)