adding-quickinfo-tooltips

Implement IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider to add hover tooltips in Visual Studio extensions.

14|2|Updated Mar 24, 2026

Search Tags:#extension-development #visual-studio #mef #quick-info #hover-tooltips #iasyncquickinfosource #rich-tooltip

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/madskristensen/vs-agent-plugins --skill adding-quickinfo-tooltips

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: adding-quickinfo-tooltips
Source: https://github.com/madskristensen/vs-agent-plugins/tree/main/skills/adding-quickinfo-tooltips
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/madskristensen/vs-agent-plugins --skill adding-quickinfo-tooltips

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Provide contextual hover tooltips for editor text in Visual Studio extensions. This section explains how Quick Info helps developers see contextual information as they hover over symbols, across different extension models.

Core Features & Use Cases

Support for Quick Info tooltips via MEF-based in-process/out-of-process sources across Visual Studio extension models.
Rich tooltip content using ContainerElement, ClassifiedTextElement, and images for iconography and formatting.
Guidance on MEF asset type declaration in the .vsixmanifest and safe, async tooltip provisioning via IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider.

Quick Start

Open a Visual Studio extension project, implement a Quick Info provider, and hover in the editor to view the custom tooltip.

Frequently Asked Questions about adding-quickinfo-tooltips

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I add hover tooltips to editor text in a Visual Studio extension?▼

To add hover tooltips in Visual Studio extensions, implement a MEF-based Quick Info source using IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider. This delivers contextual content when users hover over symbols in the editor.

Does Quick Info support rich content like images and formatted text in VS extensions?▼

Quick Info supports rich tooltip content in VS extensions using ContainerElement and ClassifiedTextElement. You can include images for iconography and apply formatting to the displayed hover information.

Can I use Quick Info tooltips with out-of-process VisualStudio.Extensibility?▼

Quick Info tooltips work with in-process and out-of-process extension models, including VisualStudio.Extensibility, VSSDK, and VSIX Toolkit. MEF-based Quick Info sources deliver content across these environments.

What MEF asset type declaration is needed for Quick Info in the vsixmanifest?▼

You must declare the MEF asset type in the .vsixmanifest to provision Quick Info tooltips. This declaration ensures Visual Studio discovers and loads your IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider implementation safely.

How does IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider safely provision Quick Info content?▼

IAsyncQuickInfoSourceProvider provisions Quick Info content asynchronously, ensuring safe tooltip delivery without blocking the editor UI. It uses MEF-based sources to supply rich content on hover.