Clickable file links for IDEs beyond VS Code

Describe the feature or problem you'd like to solve

I use Visual Studio 2026 (not VS Code) with the Copilot CLI. It would be great to have a way to click on a modified/referenced file path in the terminal output and have it open directly in a Visual Studio tab, similar to how the Copilot Chat experience lets you open files by clicking. Currently  /ide  only supports VS Code-family editors. Native Visual Studio integration (or a generic protocol handler VS could register for) would be a valuable addition.

Proposed solution

Many developers use IDEs outside the VS Code family — such as Visual Studio 2022/2026, Rider, or other editors — where the current  /ide  integration doesn't apply. Adding clickable file links (or a lightweight open-in-editor protocol) that work across more IDEs would let users jump straight from a CLI response or diff to the exact file/line in their own editor, just like Copilot Chat already does. This would reduce friction for a large group of .NET/Visual Studio developers, cut down on manual file navigation, and make the CLI feel like a natural extension of their existing workflow rather than a separate, disconnected tool — ultimately increasing adoption and daily usage among non-VS Code users.

Example prompts or workflows

1. Reviewing a diff: After asking "what changed in this refactor?", click the listed file paths in the CLI's  /diff  output to open each one directly in a Visual Studio tab at the changed lines, instead of manually navigating the Solution Explorer.
2. Fixing a bug report: When Copilot CLI points to  UsersController.cs:142  as the likely cause, clicking that reference opens the file at that exact line in VS, speeding up verification.
3. Multi-file changes: After a CLI-driven refactor touches 5+ files, click through each modified file from the summary to quickly eyeball the changes in the IDE before committing.
4. Error/build output: When the CLI runs a build or test command and reports a failing file/line, clicking it opens the exact file/line in VS instead of copy-pasting the path.
5. Onboarding a new codebase: While exploring an unfamiliar solution with the CLI ("where is X handled?"), clicking referenced files lets a developer inspect real code in their editor immediately, keeping context and momentum instead of switching windows and searching manually.

Additional context

I frequently use GitHub Copilot Chat (in VS/other IDEs) for code review workflows, where clicking a referenced file opens it instantly in a tab — this is a habit I've built and rely on for fast review cycles. Moving more of my day-to-day work to the CLI, I miss that exact interaction: reviewing generated changes or explanations without a quick way to jump into the actual file breaks that flow and adds friction compared to the Chat experience. Bringing that same click-to-open behavior to the CLI (at least for Visual Studio users) would make the CLI a true drop-in replacement for review-heavy workflows, not just for code generation.

从现有的 /ide 集成和 /diff 使用的终端输出入手；issue 未列出任何文件或测试，因此请追踪引用路径和行号的呈现位置。完成的标准是，可点击的引用能够在 Visual Studio 中或通过通用协议打开目标文件和行，同时保留当前 VS Code 系列的行为。