intial changes for release

Author: ms-johnalex

articles/ai-foundry/how-to/develop/get-started-projects-vs-code.md

@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 ---
 title: Work with the Azure AI Foundry for Visual Studio Code extension
 titleSuffix: Azure AI Foundry
-description: Use this article to learn how to deploy Large Language Models and develop AI agents using Azure AI Foundry capabilities directly in VS Code.
+description: Use this article to learn how to deploy Large Language Models using Azure AI Foundry capabilities directly in VS Code.
 manager: mcleans
 ms.service: azure-ai-foundry
 content_well_notification: 
   - AI-contribution
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 04/03/2025
+ms.date: 04/21/2025
 ms.reviewer: erichen
 ms.author: johalexander
 author: ms-johnalex
-# customer intent: As an AI app developer, I want to learn how to use the Azure AI Foundry for Visual Studio Code extension so that I can deploy Large Language Models and develop AI agents using Azure AI Foundry capabilities directly in VS Code.
+# customer intent: As an AI app developer, I want to learn how to use the Azure AI Foundry for Visual Studio Code extension so that I can deploy Large Language Models using Azure AI Foundry capabilities directly in VS Code.
 ---
 
 # Work with the Azure AI Foundry for Visual Studio Code extension (Preview)
@@ -85,27 +85,49 @@ Sign in to your Azure subscription to access your resources with the following s
 
 1. Under the "Resources" section, select your Azure Subscription and Resource Group. 
 
-1. Select **Azure AI Foundry** and open your project.
+1. Select **Azure AI Foundry** and right-click your project.
 
-1. The **Agents** and **Models** sections are listed under your project. 
+1. Select **Open in Azure AI Foundry Extension**.
 
+    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/open-aif-extension.png" alt-text="A screenshot of the Open in Azure AI Foundry Extension option." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/open-aif-extension.png":::
 
-### Set the default Azure AI Foundry Project
 
- Set your default Azure AI Foundry Project with the following steps:
+### Explore the Azure AI Foundry Extension
 
-1. Open a new Visual Studio Code window.
+The Azure AI Foundry Extension opens in its' own view, with the Azure AI Foundry Icon now displayed on the VS Code Navbar. The extension has three main sections: **Resources**, **Tools**, and **Help and Feedback**.
 
-1. Select <kbd>F1</kbd> to open the command palette.
 
-1. Enter **Azure AI Foundry: Select Default Project** and press Enter.
+:::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/aif-ext-initial-view.png" alt-text="A screenshot of the Azure AI Foundry Extension with highlighted sections.":::
+
+- **Resources**: This section contains the resources you have access to in your Azure AI Foundry project. The **Resources** section is the main view for interacting with your Azure AI Foundry resources. It contains the following subsections:
+  - **Models**: This section contains the models you can use to build and deploy your AI applications. The **Models** view is where you can find your deployed models in your Azure AI Foundry project.  
+  - **Agents**: This section contains your deployed agents in your Azure AI Foundry project.
+  - **Threads**: This section contains the threads and runs from a deployed agent in your Azure AI Foundry project.
+
+- **Tools**: This section contains the tools you can use to build and deploy your AI applications. The **Tools** view is where you can find the tools available to deploy and then work with your deployed models and agents. It contains the following subsections:
+    - **Model Catalog**: The link to the model catalog you can use to discover and deploy models. 
+    - **Model Playground**: The link to the model playground for interacting with your deployed models in your Azure AI Foundry project.
+    - **Agent Playground**: The link to the agent playground for interacting with your deployed agents in your Azure AI Foundry project.
 
-1. Select the Azure AI Foundry Project you want to use from the list of available projects and press Enter.
+- **Help and Feedback**: This section contains links to the Azure AI Foundry documentation, feedback, and support. It contains the following subsections:
+    - **Documentation**: This is the link to the Azure AI Foundry Extension documentation.
+    - **GitHub**: This is the link to the Azure AI Foundry extension GitHub repository.
 
-Your selected project will now display **Default** after the project name.
+>[!NOTE]
+> To learn more about working with Agents and Threads in the Azure AI Foundry Extension, see the [Work with Azure AI Agent Service in Visual Studio Code](./vs-code-agents.md) article. 
 
-:::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/default-project.png" alt-text="A screenshot of the designated default project." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/default-project.png"::: 
+### The default Azure AI Foundry Project
 
+When you open a project in the Azure AI Foundry Extension, that project is set as your default project. Switch your default project by following these steps:
+
+    1. Right-click on your deployed model and select the **Switch Default Project in Azure Extension** option. 
+    
+    1. In the top center, select the Azure AI Foundry Project you want to use from the list of available projects and press Enter.
+    
+    Your selected project will now display **Default** after the project name.
+    
+    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/default-project.png" alt-text="A screenshot of the designated default project." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/default-project.png"::: 
+    
 
 ## Work with models
 
@@ -115,7 +137,14 @@ The Azure AI Foundry for Visual Studio Code extension enables you to create, int
 
 The [model catalog](/azure/ai-foundry/how-to/model-catalog-overview) in Azure AI Foundry portal is the hub to discover and use a wide range of models for building generative AI applications.
 
- Access the model catalog from the command palette to explore and deploy a curated selection of models available in Azure AI Foundry, right from inside VS Code.
+ Access the model catalog from several different ways:
+- The **Azure AI Foundry: Open Model Catalog** command palette command.
+- Select the **plus** icon next to **Models** in the **Resources** section of the Azure AI Foundry Extension view.
+- Click on the **Model Catalog** link in the **Tools** section of the Azure AI Foundry Extension view.
+
+#### Open the model catalog from the command palette
+
+Access the model catalog from the command palette to explore and deploy a curated selection of models available in Azure AI Foundry, right from inside VS Code.
 
 1. Select <kbd>F1</kbd> to open the command palette.
 
@@ -130,6 +159,20 @@ The [model catalog](/azure/ai-foundry/how-to/model-catalog-overview) in Azure AI
 
 1. Search for a specific model using the search bar at the top-center of the page.
 
+#### Open the model catalog from the Resources section
+
+The **Model Catalog** is also available in the **Resources** section of the Azure AI Foundry Extension view. 
+
+- 1. In the Azure AI Foundry Extension view, select the **plus** icon next to **Models** to open the Model Catalog.
+
+    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-plus-expanded.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the plus sign next to models with the list of models expanded." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-plus-expanded.png":::
+
+    > [!TIP] 
+    > You can also right-click on **Models** and select the **Deploy new AI model** option to open the Model Catalog to start the deployment process. 
+
+#### Open the model catalog from the Tools section
+
+The **Model Catalog** is also available in the **Tools** section of the Azure AI Foundry Extension view. Double click on the **Model Catalog** link to open the Model Catalog.
 
 #### Deploy a model from the model catalog
 
@@ -163,47 +206,6 @@ Deploy a selected model in the model catalog using the following steps:
 
     :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deployed-model.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the newly deployed model under the Models section." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deployed-model.png":::
 
-### Deploy, view, and update models
-
-#### Deploy a model
-
-You can also deploy a model directly from your Azure AI Foundry project. 
-
-1. In the Azure Resources Extension view, select the **plus** icon next to **Models** to start the deployment process.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-plus-expanded.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the plus sign next to models with the list of models expanded." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-plus-expanded.png":::
-
-    > [!TIP] 
-    > You can also right-click on **Models** and select the **Deploy new AI model** option to start the deployment process. 
-
-1. In the top center, select the AI service to use in the **Choose an AI service** dropdown and press Enter.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/choose-ai-service.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Choose AI service dropdown for model deployment." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/choose-ai-service.png":::
-
-1. In the top center, select the model to deploy in the **Choose a model to deploy** dropdown and press Enter.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-deployment-model.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Choose a model to deploy dropdown." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-deployment-model.png":::
-
-1. In the top center, select the model version to use in the **Choose model version** dropdown and press Enter.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-version-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Choose model version dropdown for model deployment." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-model-version-2.png":::
-
-1. In the top center, select the deployment type to use in the **Choose deployment type** dropdown and press Enter.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-deployment-type.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Choose deployment type dropdown for model deployment." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/select-deployment-type.png":::
-
-1. In the top center, enter the model deployment name to use in the **Enter deployment name** textbox and press Enter.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/enter-deployment-name-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Enter deployment name textbox for model deployment." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/enter-deployment-name-2.png":::
-
-1. A confirmation dialog box appears. Select the **Deploy** button to deploy the model to your project.
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deploy-model-popup-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the model deployment confirmation dialog box with the Deploy button highlighted." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deploy-model-popup-2.png":::
-
-1. After a successful deployment, your model will be listed with your other deployed models under the **Models** section in your project.  
-
-    :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deployed-model-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the deployed model under the Models section." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/deployed-model-2.png":::
-
 #### View deployed models
 
 In the Azure Resources Extension view, select the **caret** icon in front of the **Models** section to view the list of deployed models.
@@ -294,13 +296,15 @@ The Azure resources that you created in this article are billed to your Azure su
 
 ### Delete your agents
 
-Delete the deployed agent in the [online AI Foundry portal](https://ai.azure.com). Select **Agents** from the navigation menu on the left, select your agent, then select the **Delete** button.
+1. In the VS Code navbar, refresh the **Azure AI Foundry Extension**. In the **Resources** section, expand the **Agents** subsection to display the list of deployed agents.
+
+1. Right-click on your deployed agent to delete and select the **Delete** option.
 
 :::image type="content" source="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/delete-agent.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the AI Foundry portal with 'Agents' from the navigation menu on the left and the **Delete** button highlighted." lightbox="../../media/how-to/get-started-projects-vs-code/delete-agent.png":::
 
 ### Delete your models
 
-1. In the VS Code navbar, refresh the **Azure Resources** view. Expand the **Models** subsection to display the list of deployed models.
+1. In the VS Code navbar, refresh the **Azure AI Foundry Extension**. In the **Resources** section, expand the **Models** subsection to display the list of deployed models.
 
 1. Right-click on your deployed model to delete and select the **Delete** option.