In this article
Installing HVE Core
HVE Core delivers one complete component set through the hve-core VS Code extension and Copilot CLI plugin. Choose a managed installation or copy selected components from a clone.
Managed Installation
Install ise-hve-essentials.hve-core from the VS Code Marketplace, or register this repository as a Copilot CLI marketplace and install hve-core@hve-core.
Stable and PreRelease contain the same complete component set. They differ in source ownership, cadence, and version. See HVE Core Identity and Channels for the release contract.
Selective Clone Adoption
Teams that need a repository-owned subset can use hve-core-installer.
- Clone or pin the HVE Core version to adopt.
- Choose every component declared by root
plugin.json, or select a subset. - Review component kinds and collisions before writes.
- Choose automatic source updates or a controlled pinned version.
The installer can copy agents, prompts, instructions, and complete skill directories. It preserves repository-relative paths and records the result in .hve-tracking.json schema version 2. Hooks are not copied.
Decision Matrix
| Environment | Team | Updates | Recommended Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any (simplest) | Any | Auto | VS Code Extension ⭐ |
| Local (no container) | Solo | Manual | Peer Directory Clone |
| Local (no container) | Team | Controlled | Submodule |
| Local devcontainer | Solo | Auto | Git-Ignored Folder |
| Local devcontainer | Team | Controlled | Submodule |
| Codespaces only | Solo | Auto | GitHub Codespaces |
| Codespaces only | Team | Controlled | Submodule |
| Both local + Codespaces | Any | Any | Multi-Root Workspace |
| Advanced (shared install) | Solo | Auto | Mounted Directory |
| Any (CLI preferred) | Any | Manual | CLI Plugins |
⭐ VS Code Extension is the recommended method for most users who don't need customization.
NOTE
HVE Core uses one identity across the plugin and extension. Root plugin.json owns membership, and .github/plugin/marketplace.json contains one relative locator to the repository root. Plugin clients resolve root README and LICENSE; the VSIX keeps its extension-owned metadata.
Distribution Relationships
Which Installation Should I Use?
- Use the VS Code extension for managed updates in Copilot Chat.
- Use the
hve-coreplugin for Copilot CLI. - Use selective clone adoption when your repository should own only chosen files.
Distribution Identity and Channels
main is the ref-less development tip. PreRelease and Stable are reviewed
release branches that advance through main to release/prerelease to
release/stable. An exact channel tag freezes one release catalog and its
source payloads.
| Use case | Marketplace registration | Source resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Development tip | microsoft/hve-core | Current main repository root |
| Moving PreRelease | microsoft/hve-core#release/prerelease | Current reviewed PreRelease branch |
| Moving Stable | microsoft/hve-core#release/stable | Current reviewed Stable branch |
| Immutable PreRelease | microsoft/hve-core#prerelease-v<version> | One exact PreRelease tag |
| Immutable Stable | microsoft/hve-core#v<version> | One exact Stable tag |
A moving release registration selects the catalog and repository-root source currently committed to its reviewed branch. The branch can advance, while an exact-tag registration remains fixed.
A published channel release is the assurance boundary for its immutable tag. The release workflow applies review and release gates, produces one VSIX and its SBOM and provenance sidecars, verifies provenance, and publishes through the configured release path. The ref-less development tip intentionally does not carry that published-release assurance.
The plugin includes the telemetry hook. VS Code does not expose a declarative hook contribution point, so configure its location manually for extension installations.
See HVE Core Identity and Channels for the lifecycle and source contract.
Copilot Plugin Registration
Register the development tip without a ref:
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/hve-core
Register a moving reviewed channel:
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/hve-core#release/prerelease
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/hve-core#release/stable
Register an immutable channel tag:
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/hve-core#prerelease-v<version>
copilot plugin marketplace add microsoft/hve-core#v<version>
Install the plugin:
copilot plugin install hve-core@hve-core
Refresh, Update, and Switching
Marketplace refresh and installed-plugin update are separate client actions. When following a moving registration, refresh the catalog before requesting a plugin update:
copilot plugin marketplace update hve-core
copilot plugin update hve-core@hve-core
Changing registrations can require removing and re-adding the marketplace in the client. Do not rely on a particular result for duplicate same-name registrations; confirm the behavior supported by your Copilot CLI version.
Clone Methods
The installer validates each selected component against root plugin.json. Schema version 2 stores selection.profile and selection.components without package identity. File records identify component ownership, and hooks remain plugin-only.
Developer Setup
Contributors and advanced users who need to modify HVE Core source code should clone the repository directly.
-
Fork and clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/<your-fork>/hve-core.git -
Install dependencies:
cd hve-core && npm ci -
Open the workspace in VS Code. A devcontainer configuration is included for containerized development.
Detailed instructions for each clone-based approach:
- Peer Directory Clone for side-by-side local development
- Git Submodule for team version control
- Contributing Guide for pull request and development conventions
Choosing a Method
The three paths above cover the vast majority of scenarios. If your environment has specific constraints (Codespaces-only, mounted containers, multi-root workspaces), the Comparing Setup Methods page has a detailed decision matrix and decision tree. The Setup Methods Overview lists every available approach.
Validation
After installing, verify artifacts declared by the HVE Core plugin:
- Open HVE Core Plugin and choose a declared agent, prompt, instruction, or skill to verify.
- Confirm that component is available through the installed extension or plugin client.
- Open Copilot Chat, type
@to findRPI Agent, then type/and verify its RPI entry points.
If a declared component is unavailable, check the Troubleshooting page for common solutions.
Post-Installation: Update Your .gitignore
Add this line to your project's .gitignore:
.copilot-tracking/
IMPORTANT
This applies to all installation methods. The .copilot-tracking/ folder is created in your project directory, not in HVE Core itself.
The folder stores ephemeral workflow artifacts (research documents, implementation plans, PR review notes, and work item planning files) that help agents maintain context across sessions. These files are useful during your workflow but should not be committed to your repository.
MCP Server Configuration (Optional)
Some HVE Core agents use MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to integrate with Azure DevOps, GitHub, or documentation services. Agents work without MCP configuration; it is an optional enhancement.
See MCP Server Configuration for setup instructions covering server requirements, configuration templates, and troubleshooting.
Next Steps
- Your First Interaction to confirm your setup works
- Your First Workflow to try HVE Core with a real task
- RPI Workflow for the Research, Plan, Implement, Review methodology
🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.