In this article
Getting Started with HVE Core
You've installed HVE Core. What now?
You can start using agents immediately, and some of them will produce good results right away. Most of HVE Core's value, though, comes from a methodology called RPI (Research, Plan, Implement, Review) that changes how you collaborate with AI. Instead of asking AI to "write the code," you ask it to research first, plan second, implement third, and review last.
This guide walks you through four steps, each building on the last:
| Step | What You Do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| First Interaction | Talk to an agent, see it respond | 1 min |
| First Research | Use /rpi-research on your own codebase | 5 min |
| First Full Workflow | Run a complete Research, Plan, Implement cycle | 15 min |
| Growing with HVE | Progress through four milestones toward independent use | Ongoing |
TIP
Already comfortable with AI-assisted development? Skip to
First Full Workflow or select
RPI Agent
or run /rpi for a coordinated lifecycle, or use /rpi-research, /rpi-plan,
/rpi-implement, and /rpi-review for direct phase work.
Need installation help? The Installation Guide covers every route. The quickest is the Copilot plugin, which works in VS Code and Copilot CLI.
Review HVE Core Identity and Channels to choose a source channel or repository adoption.
Troubleshooting
Installation Issues
Agent not available
- Confirm the chat uses the Copilot harness: Copilot appears at the start of the chat title. HVE Core doesn't support VS Code's Local harness
- Ensure GitHub Copilot is installed and you are signed in
- Reload VS Code window:
Ctrl+Shift+P→ "Developer: Reload Window" - Check that HVE Core is installed: the plugin appears on the Plugins page of the Agent Customizations editor, or the extension shows as installed in the Extensions view
Copilot not discovering customizations
- Reload the window after you install, update, or edit HVE Core files, then start a new chat session
- For a clone listed in
.github/copilot/settings.json, check that each path is a literal folder inside the checkout and that the workspace folder is trusted - After a Copilot session shows HVE Core from your install route, remove
chat.*Locationsentries that point at HVE Core from an earlier setup, and keep only one install route
Git or clone errors
- Verify Git is installed: run
git --versionin terminal - Check network connectivity to github.com
- See the installation guide for method-specific troubleshooting
Optional Scripts
HVE Core includes utility scripts you may want to copy into your project:
| Script | Purpose |
|---|---|
scripts/linting/Validate-MarkdownFrontmatter.ps1 | Validate markdown frontmatter against JSON schemas |
scripts/linting/Invoke-PSScriptAnalyzer.ps1 | Run PSScriptAnalyzer with project settings |
scripts/security/Test-DependencyPinning.ps1 | Check GitHub Actions for pinned dependencies |
Copy the scripts you need to your project's scripts/ directory and adjust paths as needed.
Next Steps
- Start the journey: Your First Interaction
- Learn the RPI Workflow for complex tasks
- Browse available agents for the full catalog
Design Thinking Path
For projects requiring user-centered requirements discovery before implementation:
- Design Thinking Guide: Start here for DT overview
- Using the DT Coach: Learn to use the dt-coach agent
- DT to RPI Integration: Transition from DT to implementation
See Also
- Installation Guide - Every install route and how to choose one
- MCP Configuration - Configure Model Context Protocol servers
- Role Guides - Find your role-specific guide
🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.