Microsoft has introduced Scope, a free, open-source tool designed to help developers identify mistakes made by artificial intelligence coding assistants and understand why they occur. The platform allows teams to examine how AI agents interact with software, follow instructions, use development tools and complete programming tasks.
Announced on October 19, 2026, Scope aims to help developers improve the way AI coding agents work with their products. Microsoft says it has spent more than a year developing the platform, which is available under the MIT open-source licence. <Cite refs={[“turn917402search0″,”turn917402search1”]}/>
AI coding assistants are increasingly used to write code, troubleshoot errors and build applications. However, these tools can misunderstand instructions, select incorrect programming interfaces or fail to complete tasks as expected.
Scope addresses this challenge by recording an AI agent’s actions during a task. Developers can inspect its tool usage, generated files, execution logs and evaluation results to identify where something went wrong.
Rather than simply checking whether the final code works, the platform helps teams understand the steps that led to an outcome. This information can reveal whether a problem comes from unclear documentation, an unsuitable software tool or an issue with the AI agent’s configuration.
How Microsoft Scope Works
Scope allows developers to give AI coding assistants specific programming tasks and evaluate their performance against defined requirements. The same task can be tested repeatedly or assigned to different agents, making it easier to compare their results.
For example, a developer could ask an AI assistant to build a feature for an application. If the assistant selects the wrong API, fails to follow an instruction or creates code that does not work, Scope can help identify the stage at which the problem occurred.
Developers can then update their instructions, documentation or software tools and run the evaluation again. Comparing the results helps determine whether the changes improve the agent’s performance.
The platform currently supports coding agents such as GitHub Copilot and Claude Code. It also provides configurable evaluation criteria, saved agent configurations and tools for reviewing activity from individual runs. <Cite refs={[“turn917402search1″,”turn917402search5”]}/>
Microsoft Reports Improvements in Azure Cosmos DB Testing
Microsoft’s Azure Cosmos DB team has already used Scope to investigate how AI coding agents interact with its database software.
According to Microsoft, the team evaluated eight end-to-end scenarios across five programming languages. The testing helped identify and resolve 20 issues in its Agent Kit and 27 problems in its documentation.
The results also showed improvements in specific database-related tasks. After a targeted update, the correct use of hierarchical partition keys increased from 47% to 100% in the tested scenarios.
Another common mistake involving OFFSET/LIMIT usage fell from 47% to zero following improvements to the relevant tools and guidance. These findings demonstrate how observing AI behaviour can help developers make targeted changes to their software products. <Cite refs={[“turn917402search0″,”turn917402news10”]}/>
Microsoft notes that these results relate to the scenarios tested and should not be interpreted as proof that AI coding assistants will always produce error-free results.
Free and Open-Source Access for Developers
One of Scope’s main advantages is its open-source availability. Developers and organizations can use, modify and extend the platform under the MIT licence.
The tool can be deployed on infrastructure managed by the organization, allowing teams to evaluate private projects without making their source code publicly available. This approach may be particularly useful for businesses working with proprietary applications or internal development systems.
However, free access to the software does not necessarily mean that running evaluations will cost nothing. Organizations may still need computing resources, infrastructure and paid access to the AI models used during testing. <Cite refs={[“turn917402search0″,”turn917402search5”]}/>
Developers can explore the project through the official Microsoft Scope website and its GitHub repository.
Why Scope Matters for AI Development
As businesses rely more heavily on AI-powered software development, identifying the reasons behind coding errors is becoming increasingly important. A coding assistant may generate functional code in one situation but struggle when instructions, tools or project requirements change.
Scope gives development teams a structured way to investigate these differences. By repeating tasks under comparable conditions, they can examine whether changes to documentation, software development kits, APIs or agent configurations lead to better outcomes.
The platform could be useful for software companies, developers maintaining programming libraries and teams building integrations for AI agents. It can also help organizations evaluate whether their software is easy for AI assistants to understand and use.
Nevertheless, automated evaluations have limitations. AI behaviour can vary between attempts, and automated judging systems may themselves make mistakes. Developers should review important findings and use representative tests before making decisions based on evaluation results.
Microsoft’s launch of Scope reflects a broader effort to make AI-assisted development more measurable and reliable. By helping developers understand not only what went wrong but also how an AI agent reached that point, the platform offers a practical approach to improving coding workflows and software usability.