How does GitHub Copilot in SSMS 22 handle database context collection before generating a response?

Hi,

Great questions. While Microsoft hasn't published a detailed step-by-step architecture of GitHub Copilot in SSMS 22, the general workflow is that Copilot uses the current database context to ground its responses when appropriate. This can include metadata such as database objects, schemas, tables, columns, and other relevant information from the active connection.

The exact internal sequence—whether the LLM first interprets the request before additional metadata is retrieved, or whether context is collected upfront—isn't publicly documented. Likewise, "Core SQL Copilot Infrastructure" isn't an official architectural term that has been documented by Microsoft.

For schema-aware features, Copilot may retrieve metadata from the connected database to provide more accurate, context-aware suggestions. Depending on the request, this can involve executing metadata queries against system catalog views, but the specific implementation details, prompt construction, grounding process, and LLM invocation order haven't been publicly disclosed.

If your focus is on architecture, governance, or security, Microsoft's official Copilot documentation is currently the best source of information, although it doesn't go into the internal orchestration details. If more detailed architectural guidance becomes available, it will likely be published in the official documentation or shared by the product team.

Hopefully this provides some clarity while we wait for more detailed documentation from Microsoft.