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Tooling

The PolyAI ADK fits naturally into a local developer workflow and can be used alongside standard editors, terminals, and AI-assisted coding tools.

The ADK is especially useful when paired with tools that help developers inspect, edit, generate, and review local project files efficiently.

Claude Code

PolyAI recommends using Claude Code for development with the ADK.

The repository includes a .claude/ directory with project-specific instructions and examples.

Claude Code is particularly useful for:

  • generating project resources from structured requirements
  • updating flows and functions
  • applying patterns reused across previous projects
  • speeding up repetitive implementation work

VS Code extension

A PolyAI ADK VS Code extension is available in the VS Code Marketplace:

  • https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=PolyAI.adk-extension

This can be useful when working directly with ADK resources in a local editor.

Other local tools

The ADK also fits well with standard local development tooling such as:

  • a terminal
  • Git
  • Python
  • uv
  • code editors such as VS Code or IntelliJ-based IDEs

  • AI coding tools

    Useful for generating and updating ADK project files from structured inputs.

  • Editors and IDEs

    Helpful for navigating project structure, editing resources, and reviewing changes.

  • Terminal workflow

    The poly CLI is the core interface for local project work.

How tooling fits into the workflow

A common pattern looks like this:

  1. use the ADK to pull or initialize a project locally
  2. open the project in your editor or IDE
  3. use an AI coding tool or standard editing workflow to make changes
  4. inspect and validate those changes locally
  5. push them back to Agent Studio

Best practices

  • use the CLI as the source of truth for project operations
  • keep AI-assisted generation grounded in real project requirements
  • validate generated output before pushing
  • review changes in Agent Studio before merging
  • treat tooling as an accelerator, not a substitute for review

Tooling should reduce friction, not reduce scrutiny

Faster editing and generation are valuable, but project review, validation, and testing still matter.

  • Installation

    Set up the ADK locally before using it with development tools. Open installation

  • CLI reference

    Review the commands that drive the local workflow. Open CLI reference