{"id":5612,"date":"2025-07-23T15:34:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T22:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/?p=5612"},"modified":"2025-07-23T15:34:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T22:34:00","slug":"vscode-mssql-agent-mode-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/vscode-mssql-agent-mode-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"MSSQL Extension for VS Code: Agent Mode Updates, Colored Connections, and Schema Designer Enhancements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">The <a href=\"http:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MSSQL Extension for VS Code<\/a> keeps getting better\u2014bringing thoughtful updates that make SQL development more conversational, more visual, and more local. In version <span class=\"s1\">v1.34.0<\/span>, we\u2019ve focused this release on deepening <span class=\"s1\">GitHub Copilot Agent Mode<\/span>, improving connection clarity through <span class=\"s1\">color-coded indicators<\/span>, making <span class=\"s1\">local container workflows more flexible<\/span>, enhancing the <span class=\"s1\">Schema Designer<\/span>, and solving bugs across the experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s a look at what\u2019s new in this release and how it helps simplify your SQL development workflow.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what\u2019s-new-in-mssql-extension-for-vs-code-v1.33\"><b>What\u2019s new in MSSQL extension for VS Code v1.34<\/b><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">This release includes three major improvements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>GitHub Copilot Agent Mode (update)<\/b><\/span> \u2014 A more capable conversational experience, with new tools for connecting, managing, and navigating your database using natural language.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Color-coded Connections<\/b><\/span> \u2014 Bring clarity to your workspace by assigning custom colors to your active connections, now shown right in the status bar.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Improved Local SQL Server Container Experience<\/b><\/span> \u2014 Enhanced support for assigning containers to connection groups and managing profiles with even more flexibility.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Schema Designer Improvements<\/b><\/span> \u2014 Foreign key icons are now correctly displayed, and filter behavior has been refined to better reflect table relationships\u2014making it easier to navigate complex schemas visually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"github-copilot-agent-mode-(public-preview)\"><b>GitHub Copilot Agent mode updates (Public Preview)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">We\u2019ve deepened GitHub Copilot\u2019s <span class=\"s1\">Agent Mode<\/span> experience with expanded capabilities. You can now use chat to generate and execute queries, view data, connect to specific databases, and explore your schema\u2014all from a conversational, schema-aware assistant right inside the editor.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Key highlights\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>Change database<\/strong> \u2013 Switch to a different database in the current session<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>List schemas<\/strong> \u2013 Show all schemas in the connected database<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>List tables<\/strong> \u2013 Show all tables in the connected database<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>List views<\/strong> \u2013 Show all views in the connected database<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>List functions<\/strong> \u2013 Show all functions in the connected database<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>Show connection details<\/strong> \u2013 Get details about the current SQL connection<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>List databases<\/strong> \u2013 Show all databases on the connected server<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><strong>Run query<\/strong> \u2013 Execute a SQL query in the active connection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s how easy it is to connect, switch databases, and explore your full schema\u2014from chat.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools.gif\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5614\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools.gif\" alt=\"agent tools gif\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>Color-Coded Connections<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">Managing multiple databases just got easier. You can now assign custom colors to your connections and instantly recognize them in the VS Code status bar. Whether you\u2019re working across dev, test, and prod environments\u2014or switching between customers and projects\u2014color makes it easy to stay oriented and avoid mistakes.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p4\"><b>Key highlights<\/b><b><\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Assign a custom color<\/b><\/span> to any saved connection profile<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Connection color appears in the status bar<\/b><\/span> so you always know where you\u2019re connected<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Optional group-based coloring<\/b><\/span> lets teams align on shared conventions<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Thanks to the community!<\/b><\/span> Group-based coloring length is now configurable (shout-out to <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/bathetrade\">@bathetrade<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s how it looks in action:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools-connection.gif\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5616\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools-connection.gif\" alt=\"connection color\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>Local SQL Server Container updates (Public Preview)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">We\u2019ve made it even easier to use SQL Server containers for local development. You can now assign containers to connection groups and manage container profiles with more flexibility\u2014all from a streamlined wizard in the extension.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p4\"><b>Key highlights<\/b><b><\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><b>Assign containers to connection groups<\/b><span class=\"s1\"> for easier organization<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><b>More flexible profile management<\/b><span class=\"s1\"> to suit your dev workflow<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Streamlined wizard UI<\/b><\/span> to spin up containers faster<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5615\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container.png\" alt=\"local container image\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container.png 1920w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/local-container-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>Schema Designer updates (Public Preview)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">We\u2019ve improved the Schema Designer to make it more intuitive and visually informative.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p3\"><b>Key highlights<\/b><b><\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Foreign key icons<\/b><\/span> are now correctly displayed<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Smarter filtering<\/b><\/span> reflects table relationships more clearly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">These enhancements make it easier to understand and navigate your database schema as you design it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools-schema.gif\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5617\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2025\/07\/agent-tools-schema.gif\" alt=\"schema designer filter\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>Other updates<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Multiple Azure account sign-in<\/b><\/span> \u2013 Sign into multiple Azure accounts to browse subscriptions and manage firewall rules<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Connection-sharing API<\/b><\/span> \u2013 Other VS Code extensions can now access MSSQL connections for deeper integration<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Accessibility enhancements<\/b><\/span> \u2013 Improved support across connection dialog, schema designer, and schema compare<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Always Encrypted fix<\/b><\/span> \u2013 Resolved issues when using Azure Key Vault for encrypted columns<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>UI consistency polish<\/b><\/span> \u2013 Minor tweaks to dialogs and interactions for smoother user experience<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">The v1.34 release brings thoughtful updates across the board\u2014from deepening GitHub Copilot Agent Mode with new schema-aware commands, to adding clarity through color-coded connections, to refining the local SQL Server container experience and Schema Designer filters. These updates help make SQL development more intuitive, flexible, and developer-friendly inside Visual Studio Code.<\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s something you\u2019d love to see in a future update, here\u2019s how you can contribute:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\ud83d\udcac <a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql-discussions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GitHub discussions<\/a> \u2013 Share your ideas and suggestions to improve the extension<\/li>\n<li>\u2728 <a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql-feature-request\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New feature requests<\/a> \u2013 Request missing capabilities and help shape future updates<\/li>\n<li>\ud83d\udc1e <a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql-bug\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Report bugs<\/a> \u2013 Help us track down and fix issues to make the extension more reliable<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">Want to see these features in action?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql-copilot-agent-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GitHub Copilot Agent Mode demo<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/vscode-mssql-demos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Full playlist of demos<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thanks for being part of the journey\u2014happy coding! \ud83d\ude80<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The MSSQL Extension for VS Code keeps getting better\u2014bringing thoughtful updates that make SQL development more conversational, more visual, and more local. In version v1.34.0, we\u2019ve focused this release on deepening GitHub Copilot Agent Mode, improving connection clarity through color-coded indicators, making local container workflows more flexible, enhancing the Schema Designer, and solving bugs across [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132338,"featured_media":5620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,669,625],"tags":[529,449,670,683,638,558,682],"class_list":["post-5612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-azure-sql","category-github-copilot","category-vs-code","tag-azure-sql","tag-development","tag-github-copilot","tag-schema-designer","tag-sql-database-in-fabric","tag-vs-code","tag-vscode-mssql"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"<p>The MSSQL Extension for VS Code keeps getting better\u2014bringing thoughtful updates that make SQL development more conversational, more visual, and more local. In version v1.34.0, we\u2019ve focused this release on deepening GitHub Copilot Agent Mode, improving connection clarity through color-coded indicators, making local container workflows more flexible, enhancing the Schema Designer, and solving bugs across [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132338"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5612\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azure-sql\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}