Practical overview
When it fits
Use it when you need a guided, repository-based path for learning or evaluating Microsoft Foundry hosted-agent development from VS Code. It is especially relevant before adapting the workshop’s sample logic to a domain-specific Python agent; that adaptation is Likely compatible, although the supplied material does not identify which components would need modification.
Who it is for
- Python developers learning hosted-agent workflows
- Teams exploring single-agent and multi-agent orchestration
- Educators and workshop leaders running Microsoft Foundry training
- Engineers evaluating a VS Code-based agent development path
Documented uses
- Create scaffolded Python hosted-agent projects in VS Code
- Customize and locally inspect single-agent applications
- Explore multi-agent orchestration with Microsoft Agent Framework
- Prepare agent containers for deployment to Microsoft Foundry Agent Service
- Study the connection between local agent code, Azure Container Registry, hosted runtime and Azure OpenAI
Requirements & limits
The repository is public and uses the MIT license. Hosted Agents are identified as being in preview, with limited supported regions. Azure CLI and Azure Developer CLI are listed as required tools in the repository README; Docker is listed as optional.
- Python 3.10+ and Microsoft Agent Framework 1.1.0+ are identified requirements or integrations.
- The workflow is centered on Visual Studio Code, the Microsoft Foundry extension and Foundry Toolkit rather than a standalone agent runtime.
- The documented cloud path uses Azure Container Registry, Microsoft Foundry Agent Service and Azure OpenAI.
- Local testing is represented by the Agent Inspector, while hosted interaction is represented by Foundry Playground and VS Code Playground.
- The repository contains more than 50 translations, which can materially increase clone size; sparse checkout is provided for a smaller download.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Set up and inspect a hosted-agent workshop project
Create the repository-based project structure, customize the scaffolded agent and test it locally in VS Code.
Before you start
- Visual Studio Code
- Microsoft Foundry extension and Foundry Toolkit
- Python 3.10+
- Microsoft Agent Framework 1.1.0+
- The Foundry Toolkit For Vscode Lab repository
Steps
Clone the repository, using its sparse-checkout instructions if the translation folders are not needed.
Use the Foundry extension to create or scaffold a hosted-agent project with files such as main.py, agent.yaml and Dockerfile.
Customize the scaffolded Python agent code.
Start local testing through the Agent Inspector and the VS Code debugging workflow.
Expected outcome
A locally inspectable Python agent project prepared for the repository’s later hosted-agent workflow.
Guide limitations
- The supplied instructions do not establish that the local project has been executed successfully.
- The sample implementation details and any required code changes are not specified.
- This guide does not cover production deployment or operational support.
Compare options for Agent orchestration
These projects document a common task and share a project role. This is a source-based comparison, not an execution benchmark or a guarantee of interchangeability.
| Project | Documented purpose | Platform | Access and requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundry Toolkit For Vscode Lab | Create scaffolded Python hosted-agent projects in VS Code | CLI, Cloud, Desktop, Linux | The repository is public and uses the MIT license. Hosted Agents are identified as being in preview, with limited supported regions. Azure CLI and Azure Developer CLI are listed as required tools in the repository README; Docker is listed as optional. |
| Agenite | Define typed tools with JSON Schema validation and error handling. | CLI | |
| Veldra | Create an agent with a policy, tools, skills, knowledge base and reasoning method. | Self-hosted | The documented deployment is self-hosted and uses a sign-in gate after a first-run administrator account is created. |
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 3 October 2026
- Original website title
- microsoft-foundry/Foundry_Toolkit_for_VSCode_Lab · Official homepage title · retained in its source language