Microsoft launches DevAX: newer coding models built at lower quality with 12x tokens
DanWahlin · x · 2026-10-19
Microsoft launched the Developer Agent Experience (DevAX) site, arguing every coding-agent best practice is a guess until measured. Key findings: a newer model completed as many architecture tasks as its predecessor but at lower median quality and 12x the tokens; packing CLI arguments into one JSON payload cost 4–11x more per task with no correctness gain; the smartest model added just 1 point at 5.6x cost. Fixing docs an agent already reads lifted a SPFx upgrade from 30/80 to 83/85 config checks. Includes the AX Practitioner Playbook, installable as a skill via npx skills add microsoft/scope/docs/ax-playbook/ax-practitioner.
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