Using Squad to write and fix code
I used Squad from the Copilot CLI, building a basic Node Express application, with a web front end. What was perhaps most interesting about the process was that the Squad harness allowed its role-based agents to work in parallel: an agent building back-end code to support service APIs could run at the same time as an agent that was building a React-based user interface. The initial squad of agents that Squad generated included an architect as well as front-end and back-end developers.
Squad’s output was, at least in my test applications, clear and easy to understand, ready to be used as the basis for a more complex application. It was delivered quickly, using a test-driven approach to ensure that code performed as intended, with no obvious bugs. By taking a formal approach to software development, Squad can reduce risks and explain its actions to a human user. It can also be used to document the code it delivers, using another specialized agent to deliver documentation.
There’s plenty of human supervision in the process, though there’s also the option of handing over control of repetitive tasks to Squad. After some time, you can build up enough trust that you don’t need to approve every new file or directory. A squad works in the context of your Git repository, but if you want more security you can choose to run your squad inside a dev container, keeping it in an isolated environment.
