The VS Code-native AI workflow system for backend engineering.
vstack is a VS Code-native AI engineering workflow system for backend services,
libraries, APIs, and adjacent platform work. It installs structured agents,
skills, instructions, and prompts into .github/ so GitHub Copilot Agent Mode
has a clear operating model instead of ad hoc chat prompts.
What gets built is determined by the product vision. vstack fixes the delivery
roles and boundaries: product, architect, designer, engineer, tester,
and release, coordinated by planner.
vstack started as a rethink inspired by gstack, but was rebuilt around a template-driven, VS Code-first workflow model.
- Fixed role model with explicit ownership boundaries
- Template-driven install model from
src/vstack/_templates/ - Backend-first verification, security, and release discipline
- One runtime dependency: PyYAML
- Works at project scope or globally in the VS Code user profile
# 1. Install the CLI once, globally
pipx install vstack
# 2. Move to your repository root
cd /path/to/your/project
vstack install
# 3. Confirm setup
vstack validateWhen you omit --target, vstack uses the current working directory.
Then open Copilot Chat and choose the planner agent in the agent picker.
For a direct specialist check, choose the tester agent and ask:
Verify this repository and summarize findings.
pipx upgrade vstack
cd /path/to/your/project
vstack initpipx upgrade vstack
cd /path/to/your/project
vstack migrate
vstack initIf you see a legacy manifest schema warning:
vstack manifest upgrade
vstack initOpen Copilot Chat, switch to Agent mode, and select the planner agent.
Prompt to run:
Run the workflow for this repository change.
- Start here
- User docs index
- Install and upgrade guide
- Troubleshooting
- CLI commands reference
- Configuration reference
- Hooks reference
- Prompts overview
- Skills overview
- Instructions overview
- Workflow modes explanation