AI infiltrates Development Segments so quickly

A decade ago, the companies that used Agile processes along these lines built the best software using CI/CD, and Automated Testing were the big winners. 

5 Years ago, low-code and platforms provided governance and faster ways to build apps.

We are seeing AI coming into all 6 steps, and low code is optional; it still offers good governance for businesses.

Test
Was: Unit Tests, Postman, Spec Flow, Selenium 
Becoming: Postman, MCP, Unit test generation

Deploy
Was: Scripts, PowerShell, TeamCity, Ansible, ARM, Portal UIs, TFS, Git, Terraform, Pulumi
Becoming: BICEP, MCP, VS Code/IDEs, GitHub, Claude CLI, GitHub Copilot

Code
Was: Java, C#, NodeJS, SDKs, RUST, GO APIs, Low-code/No-code
Becoming: Python, TypeScript, Power Platform, Agents

Key Anthropic terminology for Ai (and Claude)

Overview: I have found that many people don't understand what Anthropic and Claude do, how they relate to each other, or how they fit into the AI industry.

The key takeaway is that Claude has two main parts: Tooling (e.g., Claude AI chat, Claude code, and Claude Cowork), and models for AI. The main product lines for these LLMs are Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku.

VSCode with Claude Code or GitHup Copilot

Overview: I have seen people really struggling with understanding that Claude is not GitHub Copilot (GHCP).  And GitHub Copilot is not an LLM. 

Terminology: 

Claude by Anthropic is made up of various parts, and it helps to be more specific.  Calusde is amazing at providing great Large Language Models (LLMs).  There are Claude Opus (for programming the lastest us 4.7), Claud Sonnet, and Claude Haiku.  GPT-5.4 is OpenAI's current flagship LLM.  Gemini 3.1 Pro is known for UI-focused coding. I found Gemini 3.0 good, but I don't use it that often.   

Claude also offers other services beyond supplying LLMs like Claude Code and Claude CLI.  These are the key ones for me:

Claude in Chrome — a browsing agent

Cowork — a desktop tool for non-developers to automate file and task management, rival to Microsoft 365 Copilot.

GitHub Copilot for VS Code is the equivalent of Claude Code for VS Code

Developing in VS Code:

In the screen below, I am using both Claude Code and GitHub Copilot in the VS Code IDE.

Here I have some C# code that creates and deploys an Azure Function. I can use either option until I run out of credits with my monthly (GHCP) or hourly (Claude) subscription allowance.  When I go over my GHCP allowance, I have it set up to use my Azure Credits.

Copilot Studio Custom Agent SharePoint Channel unexpected behaviour

Overview: I have been using Copilot Studio for production solutions for a few weeks now, and I am impressed.  I pushed my fist Copilot Studio custom agent from using ALM into QA and Production, where I finished the iteration a week ago.  My boss was looking at the Agent in SharePoint and identified a bug with uploading files and using them.

Anyway, I tested the scenario in other channels and in the Test area without issue.  In SharePoint, a Custom Copilot Agent can't upload a file to work with OOTB.

Chess, I mean IT for beginners

Medium- and large-sized IT projects often run into trouble at various points.  This analogy has helped me keep projects online and delivered, so I thought I'd share.

Firstly, for those who don't know in depth about chess strategy, it generally goes something like this: 

Opening, Middle and Endgame is how to break down a chess game.

Chess Cheat Sheet for Beginners

Opening Principles

• Control the center: Aim for squares e4, d4, e5, d5.
• Develop pieces early: Knights and bishops out before moving the same piece twice.
• Don’t bring your queen out too soon: Avoid early queen moves.
• Castle early: Protect your king and connect rooks.

---

Middle Game Tips

• Coordinate pieces: Make them work together.
• Avoid unnecessary pawn moves: Pawns can’t move back.
• Look for tactics: Pins, forks, skewers, discovered attacks.

---

Endgame Basics

• Activate your king: It becomes powerful in endgames.
• Push passed pawns: They’re your winning ticket.
• Rooks behind passed pawns: Classic endgame rule.

---

General Rules

• Every move should have a purpose.
• Don’t sacrifice without clear compensation.
• The threat can be more serious than the execution.

As an Analogy, I find this extremely useful for getting all stakeholders working together and understanding how to do so.

MVP cost balloons when “nice‑to‑haves” silently become “required”.  Not relatable to chess, except it is key, what are we doing in the Min viable Prod and why?  Think of it more like recon for the battle, learn, don't try to win it.

Entra ID App Registrations

Overview: MS Graph and OAuth permissions must be assigned via Entra ID (IdP) App Registrations.

App registration - is the definition of an app (API permissions it exposes, scopes, app roles, redirect URIs, etc.).

Enterprise Application (Service principal) - the instance of that app in the Entra tenant, created after consent is granted.

Consent is granted to an Enterprise Application instance/service principal, not by an app registration.

Steps to Set up MS Graph Access for SharePoint Online (Site Collection Level Access)

1. Register a new App Reg in Entra ID

2. Add the MS Graph API Permission: Sites.Selected Delegated

3. Using PowerShell 7, install the Pnp.PowerShell module and connect to PnPOnline

PS> Install-Module PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser

PS> Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://radimaging.sharepoint.com/sites/Contracts  -ClientID <xxx-xxx> -Interactive

 

4. Assign the new App Registration to your SharePoint site, and you will need Site Collection Admin.

PS> Grant-PnPAzureADAppSitePermission  -AppId "8f468b7c-9APP-YOU-WANT-TO-GRANT"   -DisplayName "My App"  -Site "https://<tenant>.sharepoint.com/sites/<site>" -Permissions Write

Tip: You may want "Read" instead of "Write" permissions or another higher level.

5. When you access the Site for the first time, you will be asked to provide consent (the administrator can also consent on behalf of business users).

6. Verify that within Portal.azure.com > Enta ID > Manage > Enterprise Applications (find the app reg that has been consented to)

7. Connect to the site using Postman or any client to verify you have the access you need.

GitHub Copilot (GHCP) for VS Code - Notes

I’m a big fan of using GitHub Copilot with VS Code. Right now, my preferred LLM is Claude Opus 4.5 — it’s so good.

Anyway, these are my notes and findings for using GHCP:

Custom Agents are built for a specific role or working style. You select an agent when you want Copilot to follow a particular set of instructions and use dedicated tools tailored to that job.

Agent Skills, on the other hand, are reusable capabilities. They bundle instructions, scripts, and resources that Copilot can automatically draw on whenever they’re relevant—no need for you to choose or switch anything manually.