Skip to Content
GuidesUser Guide

FrootAI User Guide

> The complete guide to using FrootAI β€” from first install to production deployment.


1. Getting Started

Step 1: Install the VS Code Extension

code --install-extension frootai.frootai-vscode

Or search β€œFrootAI” in the VS Code Extensions Marketplace.

Step 2: Browse the Knowledge Hub

Open the sidebar β†’ FROOT Modules panel to explore 18 knowledge modules across 5 layers:

LayerModulesFocus
🌱 FoundationsGenAI, LLM Landscape, AI Glossary, Agentic OSCore AI concepts
πŸͺ΅ ReasoningPrompt Engineering, RAG, Deterministic AIMaking AI reliable
🌿 OrchestrationSemantic Kernel, AI Agents, MCP & ToolsBuilding agents
πŸƒ OperationsAzure AI, Infrastructure, Copilot EcosystemPlatform & infra
🍎 TransformationFine-Tuning, Responsible AI, Production PatternsProduction readiness

Step 3: Init DevKit

Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) β†’ FROOT: Init DevKit

This scaffolds the .github/ Agentic OS into your project:

  • agent.md β€” Agent behavior rules
  • copilot-instructions.md β€” Copilot context
  • Prompt files, CI workflows, and config templates

Step 4: Init TuneKit

Command Palette β†’ FROOT: Init TuneKit

Adds tunable configuration files:

  • config/agents.json β€” Agent routing and parameters
  • config/model-comparison.json β€” Model selection criteria
  • config/guardrails.json β€” Safety and content limits
  • evaluation/ β€” Golden sets and scoring scripts

Step 5: Deploy

Command Palette β†’ FROOT: Deploy Solution

Packages your configured play for deployment. Output depends on the selected solution play.


2. Using the VS Code Extension

2.1 All Commands

Open Command Palette and type FROOT: to see all available commands:

CommandDescription
FROOT: Browse ModulesOpen the knowledge hub and browse all knowledge modules
FROOT: Search KnowledgeFull-text search across all modules
FROOT: Lookup TermLook up any AI term in the glossary (comprehensive glossary)
FROOT: Init DevKitScaffold .github Agentic OS files into your project
FROOT: Init TuneKitAdd config and evaluation files
FROOT: Show Solution PlaysBrowse all 20 solution plays with status
FROOT: Open PlayOpen a specific play’s folder
FROOT: Deploy SolutionPackage and deploy the current play
FROOT: Show MCP ToolsView documentation for all 16 MCP tools
FROOT: Read User GuideOpen this guide in the editor
FROOT: Show ArchitectureDisplay system architecture diagram
FROOT: Show ChangelogView version history
FROOT: Check UpdatesCheck for new versions of all components

2.2 Sidebar Panels

The FrootAI sidebar (click the 🌱 icon) has these panels:

  1. FROOT Modules β€” Expandable tree of all 18 knowledge modules, color-coded by layer
  2. Solution Plays β€” All 20 plays with status badges (Ready / In Progress)
  3. MCP Tools β€” Documentation for all 16 MCP server tools, grouped by type
  4. Quick Actions β€” One-click access to common commands

2.3 Standalone Mode

The extension works offline with bundled knowledge. It caches downloaded content in globalStorage with a 24-hour TTL. No internet required for core functionality.


3. Using the MCP Server

3.1 What is the MCP Server?

The FrootAI MCP Server exposes 23 tools that any MCP-compatible AI agent can call. It adds AI architecture knowledge to your agent’s capabilities.

3.2 Setup

Add to your .vscode/mcp.json:

{ "servers": { "frootai": { "command": "npx", "args": ["frootai-mcp"] } } }

3.3 Tool Reference

Static Tools (bundled knowledge)

ToolWhat it doesExample query
get_moduleRetrieve a full knowledge module”Get the RAG Architecture module”
list_modulesList all knowledge modules with metadata”What modules are available?”
search_knowledgeFull-text search across all content”Search for vector databases”
lookup_termLook up a term in the AI glossary”What is LoRA?”

Live Tools (real-time retrieval)

ToolWhat it doesExample query
fetch_azure_docsFetch current Azure documentation”Get Azure AI Search pricing”
fetch_external_mcpQuery external MCP registries”Find MCP servers for databases”

Chain Tools (multi-step workflows)

ToolWhat it doesExample query
agent_buildGenerate a new agent scaffold”Build an IT ticket resolution agent”
agent_reviewReview an agent’s configuration”Review my agent.md for security issues”
agent_tuneOptimize agent parameters”Tune my agent for lower latency”

AI Ecosystem Tools

ToolWhat it doesExample query
get_architecture_patternGet architecture patterns for a scenario”Pattern for multi-agent RAG”
get_froot_overviewOverview of the FrootAI platform”What is FrootAI?”
get_github_agentic_osExplain the .github Agentic OS”What files does DevKit create?”
list_community_playsBrowse community solution plays”Show me community plays”
get_ai_model_guidanceModel selection guidance”Compare GPT-4o vs Claude 3.5”

3.4 Using in Copilot Chat

In VS Code with GitHub Copilot, you can invoke MCP tools naturally:

@workspace Use frootai to search for "semantic kernel orchestration" @workspace Use frootai to get the RAG Architecture module @workspace Use frootai agent_build to create an IT ticket agent

4. Solution Plays

4.1 What is a Solution Play?

A solution play is a pre-configured scenario accelerator. Each play includes:

  • README.md β€” Overview, architecture, deployment steps
  • DevKit (.github/ Agentic OS) β€” Agent rules, copilot instructions, prompts, CI
  • TuneKit (config/ + evaluation/) β€” Tunable parameters and quality benchmarks

4.2 Available Plays (20)

#PlayCategory
01IT Ticket ResolutionIT Operations
02Customer Support AgentCustomer Service
03Code Review AssistantDevelopment
04Security Incident ResponseSecurity
05Knowledge Base FAQKnowledge Management
06Onboarding AssistantHR / People
07Sales IntelligenceSales
08Compliance CheckerGovernance
09Data Quality MonitorData Engineering
10Infrastructure HealthPlatform / SRE
11Cost Optimization AdvisorFinOps
12Release Notes GeneratorDevOps
13API Documentation WriterDocumentation
14Meeting SummarizerProductivity
15Competitive AnalysisStrategy
16Training Content CreatorLearning
17Change ManagementITSM
18Document ProcessorDocument AI
19Multi-Agent OrchestratorAgent Platform
20Custom Play TemplateTemplate

4.3 Choosing a Play

Use the Solution Configurator at /configurator β€” answer 3 questions and get a recommendation. Or use the AI Assistant at /chatbot.

4.4 Customizing a Play

  1. FROOT: Init DevKit to scaffold the play’s .github files
  2. Edit agent.md to adjust behavior rules
  3. FROOT: Init TuneKit to add config parameters
  4. Tune config/agents.json for your scenario
  5. Run evaluation against the golden set

5. DevKit Deep Dive

The DevKit scaffolds .github Agentic OS β€” a structured set of files that make your project agent-ready.

5.1 File Reference

FilePurpose
.github/agent.mdPrimary agent behavior rules β€” scope, constraints, tools, error handling
.github/copilot-instructions.mdGitHub Copilot context β€” project structure, conventions, key files
.github/prompts/init.prompt.mdInitial prompt for bootstrapping the agent
.github/prompts/review.prompt.mdCode review prompt template
.github/prompts/deploy.prompt.mdDeployment preparation prompt
.github/workflows/validate.ymlCI pipeline β€” structure validation, lint, test
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug.ymlStructured bug report template
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature.ymlFeature request template
.github/pull_request_template.mdPR description template

5.2 The 7 Primitives

The Agentic OS uses 7 composable primitives:

  1. Agent Rules (agent.md) β€” Behavioral boundaries
  2. Context (copilot-instructions.md) β€” Project knowledge
  3. Prompts (prompts/*.prompt.md) β€” Reusable prompt templates
  4. Workflows (workflows/*.yml) β€” CI/CD automation
  5. Templates (ISSUE_TEMPLATE/, pull_request_template.md) β€” Structured collaboration
  6. Config (config/) β€” Tunable parameters
  7. Evaluation (evaluation/) β€” Quality benchmarks

6. TuneKit Deep Dive

6.1 Config Files

FileParameters
config/agents.jsonAgent routing, model selection, temperature, max_tokens
config/model-comparison.jsonModel capabilities, latency, cost comparison
config/guardrails.jsonContent filters, blocked topics, rate limits
config/search.jsonSearch method (vector, hybrid, keyword), top_k
config/chunking.jsonChunk size, overlap, strategy

6.2 Tuning Workflow

  1. Review current config: FROOT: Show Config
  2. Adjust parameters based on your scenario
  3. Run evaluation: python evaluation/evaluate.py
  4. Compare scores against the golden set
  5. Iterate until quality targets are met

6.3 Evaluation

Each play includes:

  • evaluation/golden-set.jsonl β€” Expected inputs/outputs (5+ examples)
  • evaluation/evaluate.py β€” Scoring script (accuracy, latency, safety)
  • Results output to evaluation/results.json

6b. SpecKit Deep Dive

SpecKit provides architecture specifications and WAF (Well-Architected Framework) alignment for every solution play.

What’s in SpecKit?

FilePurpose
spec/play-spec.jsonArchitecture pattern, WAF pillar scores, evaluation thresholds

WAF Alignment (6 Pillars)

Every play is scored across the Azure Well-Architected Framework:

PillarWhat it checks
ReliabilityRetry policies, health probes, multi-region readiness
SecurityManaged identity, private endpoints, RBAC, no API keys
Cost OptimizationRight-sized SKUs, autoscaling, reserved capacity
Operational ExcellenceDiagnostic settings, Log Analytics, CI/CD
PerformanceCaching, async patterns, connection pooling
Responsible AIContent Safety, guardrails, bias monitoring

CLI WAF Scorecard

npx frootai validate --waf

Runs 17 checks across 6 pillars and shows per-pillar scores + failing items.


6c. Using the CLI

The FrootAI CLI (npx frootai) provides 8 commands for terminal-based workflows.

Commands

CommandWhat it does
npx frootai initInteractive project scaffolding (auto-detects existing projects)
npx frootai scaffold <play>One-command play scaffold (e.g. scaffold play-01)
npx frootai search <query>Search across 18 knowledge modules
npx frootai cost <service>Estimate Azure AI service costs
npx frootai validateRun consistency checks across your project
npx frootai validate --wafWAF alignment scorecard (6 pillars, 17 checks)
npx frootai doctorHealth check: Node.js, npm, VS Code, MCP config
npx frootai helpShow all available commands

Scaffold Command

One-command play scaffolding β€” creates all 5 FROOT kits + froot.json manifest:

npx frootai scaffold 01-enterprise-rag # or shorthand: npx frootai scaffold play-01

Creates: .github/agents/, config/, spec/, evaluation/, froot.json, WAF instructions. Auto-detects existing projects and merges files alongside yours.


6d. Using Docker

Run the FrootAI MCP Server as a container β€” no Node.js required.

Quick Start

docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/frootai/frootai-mcp:latest

Client Configuration

Claude Desktop / Cursor:

{ "mcpServers": { "frootai": { "command": "docker", "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "ghcr.io/frootai/frootai-mcp:latest"] } } }

VS Code Copilot (.vscode/mcp.json):

{ "servers": { "frootai": { "command": "docker", "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "ghcr.io/frootai/frootai-mcp:latest"], "type": "stdio" } } }

Multi-arch (amd64 + arm64). Same 23 tools, 682KB knowledge. Pinnable versions.


6e. Using the REST API

The FrootAI REST API provides 5 HTTP endpoints β€” no SDK or MCP client needed.

Base URL

https://frootai-chatbot-api.azurewebsites.net

Endpoints

MethodEndpointDescription
POST/api/chatChat with Agent FAI (AI assistant)
GET/api/search?q=<query>Search solution plays
GET/api/cost?service=<name>Estimate Azure AI costs
GET/api/healthHealth check
GET/api/openapi.jsonOpenAPI 3.1 specification

Rate Limits

60 requests/minute per IP. Sliding window. Returns HTTP 429 when exceeded.


7. Agent Chain

The build β†’ review β†’ tune chain is a three-step workflow:

Step 1: Build (agent_build)

Generate a new agent scaffold based on your scenario description. Produces agent.md, config files, and evaluation templates.

Step 2: Review (agent_review)

Analyze the generated agent for:

  • Security gaps
  • Missing error handling
  • Unclear scope boundaries
  • Config completeness

Step 3: Tune (agent_tune)

Optimize parameters based on review findings and evaluation results. Adjusts temperature, model selection, guardrails, and routing.


Deploying a Solution Play

Deploy any play with one command:

# Deploy play 01 (Enterprise RAG) ./scripts/deploy-play.sh 01 --resource-group rg-frootai-dev # Deploy play 05 (IT Ticket Resolution) without evaluation ./scripts/deploy-play.sh 05 --resource-group rg-frootai --skip-eval

The script: validates the play structure β†’ deploys Azure infra via Bicep β†’ copies config files β†’ runs evaluation.

Exporting FROOT Knowledge as Copilot Skills

Make any FROOT module available as a GitHub Copilot skill:

# Export a single module ./scripts/export-skills.sh F1 # Export all knowledge modules ./scripts/export-skills.sh --all

This creates .github/skills/<module-id>/SKILL.md + README.md that Copilot reads automatically.

Knowledge Auto-Update

The MCP server can auto-refresh its knowledge:

  • Bundled knowledge.json is checked every 7 days
  • If stale, fetches latest from GitHub automatically
  • Falls back to bundled version if offline

To manually rebuild: ./scripts/rebuild-knowledge.sh


8. FAQ

Q: Does FrootAI require an internet connection? A: Core functionality works offline. The VS Code extension bundles knowledge locally. Live tools (fetch_azure_docs, fetch_external_mcp) require connectivity.

Q: Which AI models does FrootAI support? A: FrootAI is model-agnostic. Solution plays can be configured for any model in config/agents.json. The knowledge modules cover GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, Phi, Llama, and more.

Q: Can I use FrootAI without VS Code? A: Yes. The MCP server works with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Azure AI Foundry). The website is accessible via browser.

Q: How do I add a custom solution play? A: See the Contributor Guide for step-by-step instructions.

Q: Is FrootAI free? A: Yes. FrootAI is 100% open source under the MIT license.

Q: How do I report a bug? A: Open an issue on GitHubΒ  using the bug report template.

Q: How often is the knowledge base updated? A: Knowledge modules are updated with each release. The changelog tracks all content changes.


> Next: Admin Guide Β· Contributor Guide Β· API Reference

Last updated on