The video explains “ask mode,” a feature in chat environments that allows users to quickly access domain-specific experts or chat participants by typing “at,” enabling seamless, in-chat assistance for various topics. It highlights how built-in and extension-based chat participants, such as those for VS Code and remote SSH, enhance productivity by providing targeted help and troubleshooting directly within the chat interface.
The video explains the concept of “ask mode” within a chat environment, highlighting how users can access a wide range of domain-specific experts simply by typing “at.” These experts are known as chat participants and are integrated into the chat system to provide specialized assistance across various topics. This feature allows users to quickly connect with relevant knowledge bases or tools without needing to leave the chat interface.
Several built-in chat participants are available by default, such as the VS Code chat participant. This particular participant enables users to ask questions related to Visual Studio Code, making it easier to troubleshoot issues, seek coding advice, or get guidance on using VS Code features directly within the chat. These built-in options streamline the process of obtaining expert help for common development tasks.
Beyond the default options, chat participants can also be added through extensions. For example, the remote SSH extension introduces a remote SSH chat participant. Users can invoke this participant manually by typing “at remote SSH” in the chat input. This allows them to ask specific questions about configuring, managing, or troubleshooting their remote SSH environments, making remote development more seamless and integrated.
One of the most powerful features of these chat participants is their ability to assist with connection issues. If a user encounters a remote SSH connection failure, they can click on “diagnose with Copilot.” This action opens a chat session with the remote SSH participant, providing immediate insights and troubleshooting guidance. This proactive diagnostic capability helps users resolve problems quickly without needing to manually sift through logs or settings.
Overall, the video showcases how integrating chat participants into a chat environment enhances productivity and troubleshooting efficiency. By leveraging built-in and extension-based experts, users can access targeted help for a variety of development scenarios directly within their workflow. This approach simplifies complex tasks and accelerates problem resolution, making the development experience more streamlined and user-friendly.