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GitHub Copilot in VS Code: Compare Models Side by Side with a Judge (Preview)

GitHub CopilotView original changelog

GitHub added a model comparison capability to the Agents window in GitHub Copilot in VS Code. Developers can run models and harnesses in parallel on the same coding task and review the results side by side. A Judge model can recommend a solution, and a Synthesize option combines ideas from the other attempts. GitHub describes the feature as being in preview.

Key Takeaways

  • Models and harnesses can run in parallel in the Agents window on the same coding task, with results reviewed side by side.
  • A Judge model can recommend a solution from the competing attempts, saving the developer from comparing every result by hand.
  • Choosing Synthesize combines ideas from the other attempts, so the final result is not limited to a single winner.
  • GitHub's changelog labels the feature a preview, and does not say which Copilot plans include it.
  • The VS Code 1.144 release notes say comparison now works in folderless chat and no longer requires a Git remote or an initial commit.
  • The release notes list Dev Containers as unsupported for model comparison.

Trying several approaches to one task

GitHub announced a way to explore different approaches to the same coding task from inside Visual Studio Code. In the Agents window, developers can run models and harnesses in parallel and then review their results side by side. Instead of picking one model up front and hoping it suits the task, a developer can compare how several of them handle the same prompt.

GitHub's changelog describes the feature as being in preview. The changelog does not state which Copilot plans include it and does not give setup steps.

Judge and Synthesize

Reviewing several attempts by hand can be slow, so the feature adds two helpers. A developer can ask a Judge model to recommend a solution from the attempts. The developer can also choose Synthesize to combine ideas from the other attempts into one result. The combination of side-by-side review, a recommendation and a synthesis step turns a single prompt into a small bake-off between approaches.

What the VS Code release notes add

The VS Code 1.144 release notes describe the same capability as running the same prompt across models for side-by-side review. They say the setup uses buttons labeled Configure Judge, Configure Attempts and Configure Synthesis. They also list expanded scenarios in 1.144: folderless chat can run independent attempts without a Git repository, and a Git remote and an initial commit are no longer required. The release notes list one limitation, which is that model comparisons are not supported in Dev Containers.

Where it fits

The feature appeared in the Universe 2026 release roundup for GitHub Copilot in VS Code, alongside cloud sessions and the Agent Host. It differs from those items because it targets output quality and model choice rather than where an agent runs. For developers who switch between models depending on the task, it offers a direct way to see the differences on their own code.