Always-on Aspire guidance for AI agents

Install once. Keep agents on the Aspire path.

Aspire skills help coding agents detect AppHosts, use the Aspire CLI, wire resources, deploy safely, and route diagnostics without guessing.

Start with installation Explore scenarios

Start here

Install Aspire guidance

Aspire CLI

Use Aspire's first-party agent setup when creating a new app, adding Aspire to an existing repo, or refreshing agent guidance later.

Built-in agent setup

aspire new
# select y when prompted to configure AI agent environments

aspire init
# select y when prompted to install Aspire agent guidance

aspire agent init

The official path installs Aspire skill files and MCP configuration into detected agent environments.
Run aspire agent init any time to add, update, or reconfigure Aspire guidance in an existing workspace.

Aspire CLI command reference aspire agent init reference

GitHub Copilot CLI

Add the Aspire skills marketplace once, then install the plugin by name.

Plugin marketplace

copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/aspire-skills
copilot plugin install aspire@aspire-skills

Gives Copilot CLI Aspire-specific guidance for AppHost, lifecycle, deployment, and diagnostics tasks.
Best for terminal workflows where agents need to stay aligned with Aspire commands.

Claude Code CLI

Start Claude Code in your terminal, add the Aspire marketplace, then install the Aspire plugin.

CLI plugin

claude
/plugin marketplace add microsoft/aspire-skills
/plugin install aspire@aspire-skills

Keeps Claude Code focused on Aspire CLI workflows when editing AppHosts.
Run the slash commands inside the Claude Code CLI session.

Codex CLI

Add the Aspire marketplace, then install Aspire from the Codex plugins UI.

Plugin install

codex plugin marketplace add microsoft/aspire-skills
# then open /plugins and install aspire

Keeps Codex CLI focused on Aspire-native setup, orchestration, and diagnostics.
Use it for terminal-first agent work that needs repeatable Aspire guardrails.

Gemini CLI

Install Aspire skills directly from GitHub with Gemini CLI extensions.

Git extension

gemini extensions install https://github.com/microsoft/aspire-skills

Adds Aspire setup, run, deploy, and monitoring guidance to Gemini CLI.
Use it when Gemini is the agent host for Aspire app work.

Cursor CLI

Install Aspire skills into Cursor's user skill directory, then start Cursor Agent from the terminal.

CLI skill directory

mkdir -p ~/.cursor/skills
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/aspire-skills ~/.cursor/skills/aspire-skills
agent

Cursor Agent discovers skills from ~/.cursor/skills and .cursor/skills when it starts.
Use this for terminal-first Cursor Agent sessions.

OpenCode

Use APM to install Aspire skills into agent hosts that support OpenCode-compatible skill locations.

OpenCode-compatible

apm install microsoft/aspire-skills
opencode

Brings Aspire guidance to agent hosts that share OpenCode-compatible skill locations.
Use it when APM is your preferred way to manage agent skills.

Ollama + Copilot CLI

Use Ollama to launch Copilot CLI with an open model, then install the Aspire plugin through Copilot.

Runtime bridge

ollama launch copilot
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/aspire-skills
copilot plugin install aspire@aspire-skills

Run Copilot CLI with a local model while keeping the same Aspire plugin guidance.
Good for developers who want local model execution with Aspire-aware workflows.

skills.sh via NPX

Use the skills.sh NPX installer to add Aspire skills directly from this GitHub repository.

Skills installer

npx skills add microsoft/aspire-skills

Installs Aspire guidance through the Skills-compatible installer path.
Use this when your agent host supports skills.sh-managed skill locations.

Scenarios

Skills for every Aspire workflow.

Browse skill catalog

Detect and route

Always-on safety net

Recognizes Aspire context and routes each task to the right workflow.

aspire start

Detects AppHosts · Routes to sub-skills

Bootstrap

First-run setup

Chooses a starter or skeleton for repos that do not have an AppHost yet.

aspire init

Chooses init vs new · Drops AppHost skeleton

Wire the AppHost

Resource graph authoring

Turns an AppHost skeleton into a modeled resource graph.

aspire add

Scans projects · Models services

Run safely

Lifecycle guardrails

Runs the app through Aspire and recovers cleanly from local lifecycle issues.

aspire wait <resource>

Starts the orchestrator · Waits for readiness

Ship and tear down

Native deployment

Publishes, deploys, and destroys using Aspire's deployment pipeline.

aspire deploy

Publishes artifacts · Deploys across targets

Observe and diagnose

Telemetry bridge

Uses local Aspire telemetry and routes deployed diagnostics to the right tools.

aspire otel traces

Reads local telemetry · Finds hidden resources

Guardrails

The right Aspire command at the right time.

Aspire skills guide agents toward workflows that understand the AppHost graph, resource readiness, deployment state, and diagnostics context.

Start the app

Wait for readiness

Apply code changes

Tear down deployments

Start the app

Launch the full AppHost resource graph through the orchestrator.

aspire start

Wait for readiness

Use Aspire's readiness model before touching a service.

aspire wait <resource>

Apply code changes

Operate on a single resource while preserving the running graph.

aspire resource <name> <command>

Tear down deployments

Unwind Azure, Kubernetes, or Compose resources through Aspire.

aspire destroy

Evaluated guidance

Confidence built into the guidance.

Waza evaluations exercise routing, command choices, and scenario-specific workflows so Aspire guidance stays dependable as the skills evolve.

Waza View eval coverage Authoring guide Evaluation guide

Evaluation loop

Measured before guidance ships

scenario tasks

113

trigger prompts

Coverage focus

Routing precision to sub-skills

Skeleton drop, aspire new / aspire init decision, aspireify handoff

AppHost wiring (C# / file-based C# / TS), validation, never edit .aspire/modules/

Lifecycle, file lock recovery, --include-hidden, aspire update --self

Multi-target deploy, aspire destroy, JS publishing, pipeline previews

Diagnostics bridge, standalone dashboard, browser logs, --include-hidden

Architecture

A guidance layer between agents and the AppHost.

The marketplace plugin gives every agent an Aspire-native route. Project-local guidance from aspire agent init adds app-specific context, then the setup, diagnostics, and deployment skills keep work anchored to the Aspire CLI.

Read the Aspire AI agents guide

Agent path

Agent host

Copilot, Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, OpenCode, or Ollama.

Aspire skills

Shared guardrails plus project-local guidance.

Aspire app

AppHost graph, resources, diagnostics, and deployments.

01 Marketplace plugin guardrails

02 Project-local aspire agent init guidance

03 aspire-init and aspireify setup loop

04 Azure diagnostics bridge for deployed apps