microsoft / microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure

Replace azure-prepare skill Aspire AddParameter/WithBuildArg scan with a script

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@tmeschter is already working on this.

Since Jul 13, 2026.

azure-prepare skills
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Python
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Description

## Summary

Copilot has identified a portion of a skill that is a good candidate for replacement with a script.

The candidate is the **Aspire `AddParameter` / `WithBuildArg` pre-build scan** in the `azure-prepare` skill (`plugin/skills/azure-prepare/references/recipes/azd/aspire.md`).

## Candidate description

After `azd init --from-code` but before any build/deploy, the skill mandates a mechanical scan of the AppHost source to find `AddParameter` results passed to `WithBuildArg` / `WithBuildSecret` (a pattern that triggers an azd bug failing Docker builds with `parameter infra.parameters. not found`). The steps are:

1. Detect the AppHost — `find . -name "*.AppHost.csproj"` / `grep -r "Aspire.Hosting" --include="*.csproj"`.
2. Run the mandatory scan — bash: `grep -RIn --include="*.cs" -E "AddParameter|WithBuildArg|WithBuildSecret" `; PowerShell: `Get-ChildItem … | Select-String -Pattern "AddParameter|WithBuildArg|WithBuildSecret"`.
3. Report matching files/lines so the agent can apply a fix.

This is a strong script candidate because it is:
- **Provided as parallel bash + PowerShell one-liners** for the exact same scan — drift-prone copy-paste.
- **Explicitly labeled MANDATORY** and called out as "the #1 cause of failed Aspire container-build deployments," so reliable, deterministic execution matters.
- **Deterministic** — a fixed `grep`/`Select-String` over `*.cs`; no judgment in the detection itself.

Only the **scan + report** is scripted. The remediation (Fix Option A: replace `AddParameter` with a constant; Fix Option B: pre-set the value in the azd env) requires human/LLM judgment and stays in prose.

**Sketch — `scan-aspire-buildargs.{sh,ps1}`:**
- **Input:** AppHost directory path.
- **Output:** a compact, self-describing result — the matching files/lines and a clear "found N matches / none found" verdict — so the agent can decide whether remediation is needed without re-parsing raw grep output.

> Note: this overlaps the Aspire *project* detection candidate (#2494) in the same area; the two scans should be cross-checked for shared helper code when implemented.

## Affected file and lines

- [`recipes/azd/aspire.md` — AppHost detection table (L7–L11)](https://github.com/microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure/blob/3890cbfb65c548ce8daa96cabd1d8de63f7bbcca/plugin/skills/azure-prepare/references/recipes/azd/aspire.md#L7-L11)
- [`recipes/azd/aspire.md` — MANDATORY AddParameter/WithBuildArg scan, bash + PowerShell (L64–L81)](https://github.com/microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure/blob/3890cbfb65c548ce8daa96cabd1d8de63f7bbcca/plugin/skills/azure-prepare/references/recipes/azd/aspire.md#L64-L81)

## Next steps

1. **Evaluate the candidate** — confirm the steps are stable and parameterizable, and that the script captures everything the skill needs.
2. **Create both a bash _and_ a PowerShell version** of the script so the skill works across platforms.
3. **Run integration tests** to verify the scripts behave correctly and the skill still completes end-to-end.

## Background Information

### Why replace regular steps with scripts

Replacing a regular, well-defined series of steps with a script can:

- **Reduce token usage** — the skill no longer needs to spell out each command and parse large command output inline; the agent invokes one script and reads a compact result.
- **Improve reliability** — the logic is written and tested once, instead of being re-derived by the agent on every run.
- **Improve determinism** — the same inputs always produce the same steps and output, removing run-to-run variation.
- **Improve speed of execution** — a single script call replaces multiple round-trips of command generation, execution, and large-output parsing.

### Authoring notes for the scripts

- **Reference scripts with markdown links**, not just a bare path to the script file.
- **Include examples** in the skill showing how to run each script (sample invocation with arguments).
- **Briefly explain what each script does** where it is referenced.
- **The script output should explain what it did**, so the agent and user can understand the result without re-inspecting raw command output.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

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