Native AL tools for the canonical workflow¶
Applies only to the opt-in bc29-native profile in GitHub Copilot Chat in VS Code. Read before the first tool, dependency or evidence decision under this profile, then reuse within that invocation. The existing role, human gates, TDD flow and plans remain authoritative. Copilot CLI requires an independent check; these names and schemas do not apply to Claude Code or Codex.
Discover before calling¶
Record the actual VS Code, Copilot and AL Language versions, target App/Test projects and connected environment, if needed. Inspect each relevant installed tool schema once. A grant declares permission; it does not discover a capability. Do not probe tools just to complete a checklist or repeatedly guess failed inputs.
The official VS Code catalog documents LM tools since AL17. Native build/search/debug tools are not all AL18 novelties. Frontmatter uses ms-dynamics-smb.al/ followed by the exact identifier:
| Identifier | Use and boundary |
|---|---|
al_symbolsearch | Discover target objects/members and relevant dependencies. |
al_getdiagnostics | Read current diagnostics; not a fresh build. |
al_build | Compile the selected project(s); not a runtime test. |
al_downloadsymbols | Provision approved dependencies for the selected project. |
al_debug | Authorized runtime diagnosis without implying publication. |
al_setbreakpoint | Scoped breakpoints for diagnosis. |
al_snapshotdebugging | Authorized snapshot investigation. |
No default al_publish grant is added. A tool's suggested next action does not authorize deployment. Do not invent al_graph, al_get_diagnostics or al_symbolrelations. MCP-only operations and argument wrappers are outside this profile.
Ownership¶
| Owner | Calls | Graph responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Architect | Search, diagnostics | Frame a design question; consume results. |
al-spec.create workflow | Search, diagnostics | Specify decisions; consume results. No separate Spec Agent. |
| Planning Subagent | Search, diagnostics | Fill a concrete plan gap; reuse evidence. |
| Developer | Search, diagnostics, download, build, debugging | Own bounded extraction/query/export via existing terminal. |
| Implementation Subagent | Search, diagnostics, download, build | Own bounded extraction/query/export via existing terminal. |
| Review Subagent | Search, diagnostics | Check source and actual results; no builds/debugging. |
| Dredd | Search, diagnostics | Independent questions and raw evidence review; request execution from an owner. |
| Triage | Search, diagnostics, download, debugging | Consume paths to localize symptoms; delegate graph execution. |
| Presales | Search | Resolve material feasibility questions; consume findings. |
| Agent Builder | Search, diagnostics | Resolve SDK questions; delegate build/graph work. |
| Conductor | No native grants | Coordinate owners and preserve references in existing handoffs. |
Loading this reference or a skill does not expand a role's permissions. Broad editor tools retained for compatibility do not authorize another role's duties.
Local and environment search¶
Use the VS Code search shape without the standalone MCP parameters wrapper:
When local search is insufficient:
- Check the intended environment is connected and the installed schema supports
filters.source = "environment". Otherwise record the missing capability. - Search the environment for the bounded object; keep the returned owner app ID, name, publisher and version, preserving raw field names. Do not fill missing metadata.
- Architect/spec proposes the necessary dependency, not all installed apps.
- Only the authorized setup/implementation owner changes
app.json, downloads symbols and records the chosen target/cache/result. - Repeat local search after provisioning; validate the selected declaration at implementation time and compile against the actual dependencies.
Conditional example (inspect the installed filter schema first):
An environment match identifies an owner; it proves neither a usable dependency nor successful compilation. An absent result may reflect scope or truncation. The published search reference consulted on 2026-09-11 does not yet list source; BC29 preview notes describe environment discovery, but the installed schema must confirm its actual input shape.
Build, dependencies and proportional gates¶
For VS Code build, use {"scope":"current"} after selecting the intended project; use {"scope":"all"} only when the entire workspace is authorized. Do not import MCP-only projectPath or analysis flags. Verify returned App/Test identities and artifacts. If unavailable, use the existing approved build task or ALTool after checking its installed help, and record which method actually ran.
Test-library versions need not numerically equal the extension's version. Check app identity, declared minimum dependency version, available package version, runtime and required API compatibility. A missing package or uncertain API goes into existing assumptions/Open Questions with an owner and the affected validation. It does not automatically prevent writing architecture or a specification. Do not mark affected compilation/tests as passed, nor bypass existing delivery gates. Architecture resolves viability; it does not exhaustively transcribe declarations.
Use the approved test runner and actual results. Tests written, tests compiled and tests executed are separate states. TestHandlers is optional instrumentation, not a runner. No environment upgrade or publication is authorized by this profile.
Optional static AL graph¶
al graph provides optional static analysis of AL source relationships. Use it only when it helps answer a concrete engineering question.
Developer/Implementer checks al version, al graph --help, then the installed help for extract-whole, query and export before executing a material question. If a command is unavailable, note that once and proceed with unaffected work. The following examples require confirmation against the installed help before use.
al version
al graph --help
al graph extract-whole --help
al graph query --help
al graph export --help
# Replace paths and app ID with approved project inputs after checking help:
al graph extract-whole --corpus 'C:\src\App' --corpus 'C:\src\Dependency' --out '.\graph-work\shards' --graph '.\graph-work\g.jsonl'
al graph query --graph '.\graph-work\g.jsonl' --from 'access:public' --to 'access:internal+app:<app-id>' --paths
al graph query --graph '.\graph-work\g.jsonl' --from 'access:public' --to '!debuggable+app:<app-id>' --paths
Use public-to-internal paths, cross-app relationships and debuggability boundaries only when relevant. Quote selectors containing !, +, * or spaces. Optional DGML/GraphML/SARIF export depends on installed support; obtain its graph/output arguments from help. Keep large outputs outside AL source folders and reference them from the existing plan/phase-complete/review artifacts.
Cross-app extraction needs the relevant source corpus. Symbol packages do not guarantee complete procedure bodies. Record missing dependencies, bodies, event and dynamic-dispatch coverage. Static reachability proves neither runtime execution, data leakage nor a vulnerability. No path does not establish isolation when coverage is incomplete. al workspace map is not a source call graph.
Evidence in existing artifacts¶
Use the existing planning findings, specification, phase-complete, review and memory documents. Do not introduce a new required execution registry. For each material claim record:
- Declared: role/frontmatter and capability name.
- Read: resource path/revision and the relevant rule applied, only after reading it.
- Executed: actual tool/command and arguments, installed version, source revision, project and package/corpus identities, result/exit status and raw-output locator.
- Limitation: missing capability, source coverage or runtime test, and its impact.
An instruction to read is not proof it was read. A rendered manifest is not proof of execution. Reviewers check the actual outputs; Conductor transfers references. BCQuality remains optional via a configured provider or installed plugin. Preserve its actual provenance; use existing native review when absent, without requiring a fork. Legacy provider-specific clone instructions apply only when that provider is selected; an installed plugin may supply the knowledge instead. BC Atlas and community symbol/LSP bridges are not prerequisites. When native coverage is insufficient, record the gap and use available source or a bounded human check, without claiming semantic parity.
Source and status¶
Checked 2026-09-11. Microsoft's BC29 preview overview announces static graph analysis, environment discovery, test lifecycle extensions, isolation controls, namespace translations and AL0926. Announcement does not verify installed flags, declarations or behavior. Language-specific checks are in the existing migration, performance, testing, translation and debugging skills.
BCQuality provider selection, exact skill identity, execution evidence and index limits follow the shared contract. A configured plugin does not grant execution tools or reduce native coverage.