agent-sessions-layout▌
microsoft/vscode · updated Apr 8, 2026
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When working on the Agents workbench layout, always follow these guidelines:
When working on the Agents workbench layout, always follow these guidelines:
1. Read the Specification First
The authoritative specification for the Agents layout lives at:
src/vs/sessions/LAYOUT.md
Before making any changes to the layout code, read and understand the current spec. It defines:
- The fixed layout structure (grid tree, part positions, default sizes)
- Which parts are included/excluded and their visibility defaults
- Titlebar configuration and custom menu IDs
- Editor modal overlay behavior and sizing
- Part visibility API and events
- Agent session part classes and storage keys
- Workbench contributions and lifecycle
- CSS classes and file structure
2. Keep the Spec in Sync
If you modify the layout implementation, you must update LAYOUT.md to reflect those changes. The spec should always match the code. This includes:
- Adding/removing parts or changing their positions
- Changing default visibility or sizing
- Adding new actions, menus, or contributions
- Modifying the grid structure
- Changing titlebar configuration
- Adding new CSS classes or file structure changes
Update the Revision History table at the bottom of LAYOUT.md with a dated entry describing what changed.
3. Implementation Principles
When proposing or implementing changes, follow these rules from the spec:
- Maintain fixed positions — Do not add settings-based position customization
- Panel must span the right section width — The grid structure places the panel below Chat Bar and Auxiliary Bar only
- Sidebar spans full height — Sidebar is in the main content branch, spanning from top to bottom
- New parts go in the right section — Any new parts should be added to the horizontal branch alongside Chat Bar and Auxiliary Bar
- Preserve no-op methods — Unsupported features (zen mode, centered layout, etc.) should remain as no-ops, not throw errors
- Handle pane composite lifecycle — When hiding/showing parts, manage the associated pane composites
- Use agent session parts — New part functionality goes in the agent session part classes (
SidebarPart,AuxiliaryBarPart,PanelPart,ChatBarPart,ProjectBarPart), not the standard workbench parts - Use separate storage keys — Agent session parts use their own storage keys (prefixed with
workbench.agentsession.orworkbench.chatbar.) to avoid conflicts with regular workbench state - Use agent session menu IDs — Actions should use
Menus.*menu IDs (fromsessions/browser/menus.ts), not sharedMenuId.*constants
4. Key Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
sessions/LAYOUT.md |
Authoritative layout specification |
sessions/browser/workbench.ts |
Main layout implementation (Workbench class) |
sessions/browser/menus.ts |
Agents menu IDs (Menus export) |
sessions/browser/layoutActions.ts |
Layout actions (toggle sidebar, panel, secondary sidebar) |
sessions/browser/paneCompositePartService.ts |
AgenticPaneCompositePartService |
sessions/browser/media/style.css |
Layout-specific styles |
sessions/browser/parts/parts.ts |
AgenticParts enum |
sessions/browser/parts/titlebarPart.ts |
Titlebar part, MainTitlebarPart, AuxiliaryTitlebarPart, TitleService |
sessions/browser/parts/sidebarPart.ts |
Sidebar part (with footer and macOS traffic light spacer) |
sessions/browser/parts/chatBarPart.ts |
Chat Bar part |
sessions/browser/parts/auxiliaryBarPart.ts |
Auxiliary Bar part (with run script dropdown) |
sessions/browser/parts/panelPart.ts |
Panel part |
sessions/browser/parts/projectBarPart.ts |
Project Bar part (folder entries, icon customization) |
sessions/contrib/configuration/browser/configuration.contribution.ts |
Sets workbench.editor.useModal to 'all' for modal editor overlay |
sessions/contrib/sessions/browser/sessionsTitleBarWidget.ts |
Title bar widget and agent picker |
sessions/contrib/chat/browser/runScriptAction.ts |
Run script split button for titlebar |
sessions/contrib/accountMenu/browser/account.contribution.ts |
Account widget for sidebar footer |
sessions/electron-browser/parts/titlebarPart.ts |
Desktop (Electron) titlebar part |
5. Testing Changes
After modifying layout code:
- Verify the build compiles without errors via the
VS Code - Buildtask - Ensure the grid structure matches the spec's visual representation
- Confirm part visibility toggling works correctly (show/hide/maximize)
- Test that editors open in the
ModalEditorPartoverlay and that it closes properly - Verify sidebar footer renders with account widget
How to use agent-sessions-layout on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add agent-sessions-layout
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches agent-sessions-layout from GitHub repository microsoft/vscode and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate agent-sessions-layout. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /agent-sessions-layout) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.5★★★★★67 reviews- ★★★★★Chinedu Garcia· Dec 24, 2024
agent-sessions-layout is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Henry Robinson· Dec 16, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: agent-sessions-layout is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Kabir Garcia· Dec 16, 2024
agent-sessions-layout reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Olivia Bhatia· Dec 12, 2024
agent-sessions-layout has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Liam Gupta· Dec 8, 2024
agent-sessions-layout has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Henry Wang· Dec 8, 2024
Keeps context tight: agent-sessions-layout is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Dhruvi Jain· Dec 4, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: agent-sessions-layout is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Fatima Sharma· Dec 4, 2024
agent-sessions-layout fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Liam Ndlovu· Nov 27, 2024
agent-sessions-layout fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Oshnikdeep· Nov 23, 2024
We added agent-sessions-layout from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
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