Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code 1.136, the latest version of its popular code editor. This update introduces a preview feature called "Agent Merge," which allows an AI agent to manage tasks like handling comments from code reviews, fixing failed checks, and resolving merge conflicts automatically until a pull request is ready to be merged. The update also adds experimental support for multi-root workspaces, which allows tools like GitHub Copilot and Claude to work across multiple project directories. Other new features include customizable chat backgrounds in the "Agents" window and notifications that alert developers when an AI agent needs their input. Visual Studio Code is a widely used integrated development environment (IDE) that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and web browsers. It offers tools for debugging, syntax highlighting, smart code completion, and version control with Git. Users can personalize the editor with themes, keyboard shortcuts, and extensions that add new features, including support for other programming languages. The new "Agent Merge" feature is intended to help developers continue working on a pull request after the initial coding is done, reducing the need for manual intervention in routine tasks. To use "Agent Merge," developers must enable the chat.agentMerge.enabled setting through the "Agents" window or by clicking the "Agent Merge" button in the title bar. Experimental support for multi-root workspaces allows Copilot and Claude sessions to span multiple directories, but hooks—scripts that run automatically during certain events—are still limited to a single directory. If hooks are found in multiple directories, VS Code prompts the user to choose the main directory for loading them. The "Agents" window now allows users to customize chat backgrounds with built-in icon patterns or personal images, offering layout options like "Repeat," "Stretch," and "Center." High-contrast themes remove these backgrounds entirely, and the background customization options are not available in such themes. The chat content remains readable regardless of the background, with opaque query text and gradually fading agent responses. The window also helps organize agent-related tasks, allowing users to switch between sessions and view linked conversations. Notifications alert users when an agent needs their input or has finished its work, with links to the relevant session for quick access.