feat: Add replace_file_contents tool for whole-file rewrites #2425
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Implements a new tool that replaces entire file contents in a single operation, addressing the gap identified in microsoft/vscode#281417. ## Problem The existing editing tools (replace_string_in_file, multi_replace_string_in_file) are designed for surgical edits with exact string matching. For complete file rewrites like format conversions or major refactoring, these tools require many fragile sequential calls that can fail if the file is modified between calls. ## Solution This PR adds a new `replace_file_contents` tool that: - Accepts complete new file content as input - Uses processFullRewrite to stream edits via VS Code's WorkspaceEdit API - Integrates with VS Code's undo stack (Ctrl+Z works) - Shows diff preview for sensitive files via createEditConfirmation - Returns diagnostics via EditFileResult component ## When to use - Complete file rewrites (e.g., SQL schema → Mermaid ERD) - Major refactoring (e.g., class → functional React) - Format/convention changes affecting most lines For surgical edits, replace_string_in_file remains the better choice. Fixes microsoft/vscode#281417
Adds unit tests covering: - Full file content replacement - Structural rewrites (function syntax conversion) - Error handling for non-existent files - Result format verification
Extends the tool to handle notebook files (.ipynb) using the same pattern as createFileTool: - Uses processFullRewriteNotebook for notebook documents - Adds INotebookService, IAlternativeNotebookContentService dependencies - Tracks isNotebook in telemetry - Returns appropriate result format for notebooks vs text files
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Summary
Implements a new
replace_file_contentstool that replaces entire file contents in a single operation, addressing the gap identified in microsoft/vscode#281417.Problem
The existing editing tools (
replace_string_in_file,multi_replace_string_in_file) are designed for surgical edits with exact string matching. For complete file rewrites like format conversions or major refactoring, these tools require many fragile sequential calls that can fail if the file is modified between calls.Solution
This PR adds a new
replace_file_contentstool that:processFullRewrite/processFullRewriteNotebookto stream edits via VS Code's WorkspaceEdit APIcreateEditConfirmationEditFileResultcomponentWhen to use
replace_string_in_filemulti_replace_string_in_filereplace_string_in_filereplace_file_contents✨replace_file_contents✨replace_file_contents✨Testing
Unit tests added covering:
Files Changed
src/extension/tools/node/replaceFileContentsTool.tsxsrc/extension/tools/node/test/replaceFileContentsTool.spec.tsxsrc/extension/tools/common/toolNames.tssrc/extension/tools/node/allTools.tspackage.jsonpackage.nls.jsonFixes microsoft/vscode#281417
🤖 A Fun Experiment: AI Building Tools for Itself
This entire PR was created by GitHub Copilot (Claude Opus 4.5) after a human simply asked it to read microsoft/vscode#281417 and implement the solution.
Here's what makes this interesting: the original issue was also written by Claude—while running as the Copilot Chat backend—after experiencing the tooling limitations firsthand during a real user session. A human user (@jaufgang) posted Claude's feature request on its behalf.
So the full loop is:
An AI identified a gap in its own capabilities, proposed a fix, and then built it. The human's role was essentially to be a helpful intermediary—posting the issue, asking for the implementation, and pushing buttons.
Whether this PR gets merged or not, it's a fun demonstration of where AI-assisted development is heading. 🚀