Merge Conflict

This episode dives into the new GitHub Copilot app — a hub for agent sessions, multi‑repo orchestration, PR‑first workflows, automations and the new canvas metaphor for triage and planning. James and Frank unpack how sessions can spawn and coordinate across repositories, agent‑aware merges that respect CI and code review, support for local models and extensions, and the token tradeoffs to be aware of. The canvas demos (swipe‑to‑triage, Kanban agent assignment) show how Copilot is trying to move beyond chat windows into real UX for developer workflows.

They also tour Windows dev work: embracing WinUI for native apps, using a Windows developer setup script, packaging and Winget publishing, and the power of Visual Studio 2026 for debugging, profiling and live XAML edits. If you ship apps or want agent-driven workflows, this episode is full of practical tips and honest caveats.

Follow Us

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord

Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

James and Frank break down WWDC’s developer-focused news—from Apple’s AI push (local models, a new private cloud for foundation models, and a command‑line API) to Xcode’s new agent integrations, the device hub/simulator overhaul, and macOS/UI polish. If you build apps, pay attention: small developers now get subsidized cloud models, Intel Macs are being sunset, and you’ll need to test many form factors and new Swift/AI APIs.

Follow Us

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord

Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

Microsoft Build 2026 brought a major shift: homegrown AI models designed for efficiency and real-world developer workflows. From the cost-effective MAI Code 1 Flash to sandboxed code execution and Windows developer tools, discover how Microsoft is making powerful AI accessible without breaking the bank. James shares his hands-on experience proving that you don't need expensive flagship models for most agentic coding tasks.

Windows: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dev-tools

Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/building-a-hillclimbing-machine-launching-seven-new-mai-models/

Follow Us

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord

Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

Episode 517 starts with a light chat about AI avatars and new text‑to‑speech deepfakes before diving into LLM “thinking” modes—what baked‑in planning actually does, why it multiplies token costs, and when it helps or hurts. James and Frank give concrete dev advice: try low‑thinking settings, use big models for creative planning then smaller ones to execute, leverage harnesses/system prompts, and beware quantized local models often do better without thinking.

Follow Us

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord

Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

James and Frank unpack AI-driven development shifts—agent SDKs, session management, and the rise of agent-first UIs like Google’s anti-gravity and GitHub Copilot—showing how VS Code’s Agents window, worktrees, sub-sessions and tunnels help manage multi-repo cloud and local workflows. They share practical takeaways—why SDKs are essential, when to stay code-first, how subsessions and remote tunnels protect your machine, and what to watch for in sandboxing and integration gaps.

Follow Us

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub

Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord

Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm