VS Code Extension Installation

The HVE Core extension, ise-hve-essentials.hve-core, installs HVE Core from the VS Code Marketplace with Stable and PreRelease channels. VS Code forwards the extension's agents and skills to Copilot chat sessions. The extension's instructions may not reach those sessions, and the extension has no canvases, so the Copilot Plugin is the better fit when you need either.

When to Use This Method

✅ Use this when:

• You manage editor tools through the VS Code Marketplace
• You want Stable or PreRelease Marketplace channels
• You mostly use HVE Core agents and skills
• You don't need to customize HVE Core components

❌ Consider alternatives when:

• You need path-specific instructions in Copilot sessions, or canvases → Copilot Plugin
• You need to customize agents, skills, or instructions → Copy HVE Core Into Your Repository or Git-Ignored Folder
• Your team needs to version control HVE Core → Git Submodule
• You're contributing to HVE Core or testing an unpublished branch → Peer Directory Clone

How It Works

The extension ships the complete HVE Core component set. Stable and PreRelease use the same extension identity and component content and differ in version, cadence, and source commit.

VS Code
├── HVE Core extension (from the Marketplace)
│   ├── .github/agents/         # Forwarded to Copilot sessions
│   ├── .github/skills/         # Forwarded to Copilot sessions
│   └── .github/instructions/   # May not reach Copilot sessions
└── Copilot chat sessions use the forwarded agents and skills

Quick Start

Option 1: Install from Marketplace (Recommended)

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "HVE Core"
4. Click Install

Or click here: Install HVE Core Extension

Option 2: Install from Command Line

code --install-extension ise-hve-essentials.hve-core

Option 3: Install Using VS Code Insiders

code-insiders --install-extension ise-hve-essentials.hve-core

Verification

1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I). New chat sessions use the Copilot harness by default.
2. Open the agent picker and confirm HVE Core agents such as RPI Agent, Documentation, and ADR Creator appear.
3. Type / and confirm HVE Core skills such as rpi-research appear.

If you install another route later, such as the plugin, uninstall the extension first so agents do not appear twice.

Post-Installation (Optional)

These optional configurations improve your HVE Core experience but are not required for basic functionality.

Update Your .gitignore

Add .copilot-tracking/ to your project's .gitignore. Agents write working files there for every install route, including the extension. The installation guide describes what the folder stores.

What's Included

The extension provides all HVE Core components:

Component	Examples	Reaches Copilot sessions
Chat agents	RPI Agent, Code Review, ADR Creator	Yes
User-invoked skills	/git-commit, /pull-request for GitHub or Azure DevOps, /git-merge	Yes
Skills	rpi-research, pr-reference, demo-video	Yes
Instructions	markdown, python-script, writing-style	May not

HVE Core no longer ships prompt files. Retired Prompt Commands maps each former prompt command to its replacement.

Updating

VS Code updates the extension through its extension system:

• Extensions update automatically when new versions are released (default)
• Open Extensions view → find "HVE Core" → click Update for manual updates
• Right-click the extension → "Switch to Pre-Release Version" to select the PreRelease channel. How VS Code handles a channel switch has not been confirmed, so check that agents and skills still appear afterward.

Stable and PreRelease carry the same components, including active components labeled stable, preview, and experimental, and differ in version and cadence. VS Code Extension Channels explains how channel releases are produced and the current state of the release branches.

Comparison with Other Methods

Pros ✅

Advantage	Detail
Marketplace managed	Install, update, and pick a channel in Extensions view
Release channels	Stable and PreRelease builds on the Marketplace
Automatic updates	VS Code updates the extension for you
No repository changes	Nothing is added to your project
Works everywhere	Local, devcontainers, Codespaces, any environment

Cons ❌

Limitation	Detail
Instructions may not apply	Copilot sessions may not receive the extension's instructions
No canvases	Canvases such as the RPI Workflow canvas come with the plugin
No customization	Can't modify custom agents, skills, or instructions
No version pinning	Uses the latest version of the selected channel
No team control	Can't enforce specific versions across a team

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Quick Personal Use

Goal: Start using HVE Core agents right away

Solution: Install the extension from the Marketplace

Steps

1. Install the extension from the Marketplace
2. Select RPI Agent or run a direct RPI phase skill such as /rpi-research

Scenario 2: Multi-Machine Developer

Goal: Use HVE Core consistently across laptop, desktop, and Codespaces

Solution: Install the extension on all machines through Settings Sync

Steps

1. Enable Settings Sync in VS Code
2. Install the extension on one machine
3. Settings Sync installs it on your other devices

Scenario 3: Team Adoption

Goal: Get a whole team using HVE Core quickly

Solution: Share the extension link and install instructions

Steps

1. Share the Marketplace link with the team
2. Team members install the extension

To offer HVE Core to everyone who opens a particular repository instead, commit the plugin defaults described in Offer the Plugin to Your Team.

Scenario 4: Want to Customize Later

Goal: Start with the extension and add customization as needs grow

Solution: Use the included installer skill to copy HVE Core into your repository

Steps

1. Start with the HVE Core extension for the complete managed component set
2. When you need MCP configuration or repository-owned components, ask an agent to use the included hve-core-installer skill
3. Review component paths and collisions before the installer copies the full set
4. Uninstall the extension once your repository has its copies, so agents do not appear twice

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting covers every install route. For the extension:

• If agents or skills are missing, confirm that the Extensions view shows HVE Core as installed and that you're signed in to GitHub Copilot, then follow Extension Not Loading After Install. The extension runs no code, so it has no output to check.
• If you rely on path-specific instructions, uninstall the extension, install the Copilot Plugin, and reload the window. The extension's instructions may not reach Copilot sessions.
• If agents appear more than once, keep one install route. See Duplicate Agents from More Than One Install Route.

Update Not Appearing

1. In the Extensions view, open More Actions (⋯) and select Check for Extension Updates.
2. Find "HVE Core" and select Update.

Need MCP Configuration or a Repository Copy?

The extension includes the hve-core-installer skill. Ask an agent to use it when you need MCP guidance, help choosing an install route, or a copy of HVE Core owned by your repository.

1. Ask an agent to use hve-core-installer.
2. Confirm that the installer copies every component into your repository.
3. Review agents, instructions, distributable skill directories, and collisions before anything is written.

Capability	HVE Core Extension	Installer Skill
Complete managed content	Yes	Copied into your repository
MCP configuration guidance	No	Curated server templates
Repository-owned copies	No	Agents, instructions, skills
Installation route guidance	No	Plugin, clone, and settings routes

NOTE

The installer is a skill that works within any agent conversation. There is no separate installer agent or extension identity.

Migration Guide

For retired plugin or extension identities, start with Migrate to the HVE Core Identity. VS Code does not provide a universal automatic migration between different extension IDs.

From a Clone to the Extension

1. Remove HVE Core entries you added for the clone, such as chat.*Locations settings or folder entries in .github/copilot/settings.json
2. Uninstall the plugin if you installed the clone as a plugin from source
3. Optionally delete the clone
4. Install the extension following the Quick Start above
5. Reload the window and verify that agents appear in Copilot Chat

From the Extension to the Plugin

1. Uninstall the extension from Extensions view
2. Install the Copilot Plugin
3. Reload the window and verify that agents appear in Copilot Chat

To customize HVE Core instead, follow Copy HVE Core Into Your Repository or a clone method such as Peer Directory Clone.

Limitations

Aspect	Status
Instructions in Copilot sessions	⚠️ May not reach them
Canvases	❌ Not included
Customization	❌ Cannot modify components
Version control	⚠️ Extension updates only, no git control
Team enforcement	⚠️ Each member installs independently
Dev/testing	⚠️ Pre-release channel only, not custom branches
Portable paths	✅ Works everywhere
Setup complexity	✅ Simplest possible
Disk usage	✅ Single installation across all projects

Next Steps

• Your First Workflow to try HVE Core with a real task
• Copilot Plugin for instructions and canvases in Copilot sessions
• Peer Directory Clone for a customizable installation

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🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.