positron

Analyze V8 heap snapshots to investigate memory leaks and retention issues. Use when given .heapsnapshot files, asked to compare before/after snapshots, asked to find what retains objects, or investigating why objects survive GC. Provides snapshot parsing, comparison, retainer-path helpers, and scratchpad scripts.

Generate or update chat customization files for AI coding agents

How to install a VS Code extension from an extension ID. Useful when the user wants to add new capabilities to their VS Code environment by installing extensions.

Use this when working on the VS Code integrated browser ("browserView") to understand its architecture and mental model. Covers the embedded Chromium browser, its editor tab, navigation, overlay/layout, sessions, and agent browser tools under `src/vs/platform/browserView` and `src/vs/workbench/contrib/browserView`.

Use when running integration tests in the VS Code repo. Covers scripts/test-integration.sh (macOS/Linux) and scripts/test-integration.bat (Windows), their supported arguments for filtering, and the difference between node.js integration tests and extension host tests.

Launch Code OSS (VS Code from sources) into an isolated throwaway profile with unique debug ports so you can drive it with @playwright/cli AND attach a Node debugger via dap-cli in the same session. Use when working on VS Code itself and you want to interact with the running workbench, automate chat or UI flows, test UI features, take screenshots, set breakpoints in the renderer / extension host / main process, or combine UI driving with debugging.

Launch and automate VS Code Insiders with the Copilot Chat extension using @playwright/cli via Chrome DevTools Protocol. Use when you need to interact with the VS Code UI, automate the chat panel, test the extension UI, or take screenshots. Triggers include 'automate VS Code', 'interact with chat', 'test the UI', 'take a screenshot', 'launch with debugging'.

Audit code for memory leaks and disposable issues. Use when reviewing event listeners, DOM handlers, lifecycle callbacks, or fixing leak reports. Covers addDisposableListener, Event.once, MutableDisposable, DisposableStore, and onWillDispose patterns.

Merge changes from the topic branch to the merge base branch. Use when the user wants to merge their session's work back to the base branch.

This skill should be used when merging upstream changes from vscode-server into the Positron IDE repository. Invoke it when the git repository contains the conflicted changes from an upstream merge.

OpenTelemetry instrumentation for the Copilot Chat extension — covers the four agent execution paths, the IOTelService abstraction, span/metric/event conventions, and the relationship between code and the user/developer monitoring docs. Use when adding/changing OTel spans, metrics, or events; instrumenting a new agent surface; touching the Copilot CLI bridge or Claude span emission; or updating `extensions/copilot/docs/monitoring/agent_monitoring*.md`.

Preview the test-coverage verdict PETE will post, locally, before a PR exists. PETE is Positron's CI "PR Test Checker" -- it grades whether a PR adds adequate tests for its source changes and posts a verdict comment. This skill replays the same rubric and file classification against your working tree (committed + uncommitted + untracked changes vs the merge-base with the default branch) and renders the verdict in-session -- it posts nothing and needs no network or gh. Use when asked to "run PETE" / "run PETE locally", to preview or check test coverage before opening or pushing a PR, to see whether the current branch has adequate tests, or to anticipate what PETE / the PR Test Checker will say.

Determine which vscode-copilot-chat release tag to use for a Positron build

Use whenever adding, modifying, or reviewing any Copilot, agent, LLM, AI, tool, permission, sandbox, MCP, model, telemetry, feature-gate, setting, configuration, or enterprise control—especially anything an organization or administrator may need to manage. Start here to decide whether it belongs in runtime managed settings, a typed SDK contract, VS Code configuration policy, extension policy, or a split implementation. Run on every new Copilot/agent/LLM control and ANY change that adds a `policy:` field.

Create or update abstract SVG illustrations for the Positron IDE -- for use in documentation, walkthrough steps, onboarding images, and feature previews. Use this skill whenever someone asks to make, update, or redesign an SVG image for Positron docs, walkthroughs, or any visual asset representing the Positron IDE UI. Also use it when asked to make images "consistent" with existing Positron walkthrough images, or to add a new image to match an existing set. Trigger on: "make an SVG for the walkthrough", "create an abstract image for the notebook feature", "update the hero image", "make it look like the other Positron SVGs", "add a docs image for X feature".

Running Positron IDE commands: changing the window layout, focusing panes (Console, Variables, Plots, Help, Packages), clearing the console, opening a file or data file in the right editor, discovering interpreters, listing, switching, starting, restarting or interrupting sessions, setting up Python, reading, installing or updating a session's packages, running or debugging a web app (Shiny, Flask, Dash, Streamlit, FastAPI, Gradio, marimo), and reading the Data Connections pane -- connections code cannot see -- including a live connection's tables and columns. Use when the user wants Positron itself to act, or to know what is installed, rather than to run R or Python code. Triggers: "show the variables pane", "open data.csv", "what interpreters are available", "switch to my R session", "my session is stuck", "is pandas installed?", "set up a Python environment", "run my shiny app", "what databases am I connected to", "what tables are in my warehouse", "deploy my app to Connect".

Use when building a list, table, grid, or virtualized scrolling UI in Positron, or touching `DataGridInstance` / `PositronDataGrid`. Avoids the common mistake of mediating props into the instance via useEffect.

Use when the user wants to create a demo video, record a feature walkthrough, or generate a video for a PR description. Triggers on "record a demo", "make a video", "demo video for PR", or "generate a walkthrough".

This skill should be used when handling issue intake rotation duties for the Positron repository. It provides workflows for reviewing and organizing new issues, responding to discussions, handling support tickets, and searching for related content. Use this skill when on intake rotation duty, when helping someone with intake tasks, or when learning the intake rotation process.

This skill should be used when drafting GitHub issues for the Positron repository. It provides workflows for searching duplicates, selecting appropriate labels, gathering complete context through questioning, and writing terse, fluff-free issues that precisely describe what is needed or wrong. The skill prepares issues for manual submission by the user. Use this skill when the user asks to draft or prepare an issue for Positron.