Most developers approach Copilot Studio the same way they approach every new platform: find the code, locate the extension points, and figure out how to force it into familiar development patterns. That instinct will slow you down here. Copilot Studio is optimized for conversational orchestration, not traditional application architecture, and understanding that shift changes everything.

In this demo-heavy session, we’ll explore the mental model changes developers need to successfully build agents with Copilot Studio. You’ll learn where traditional developer instincts still apply, including custom connectors, REST APIs, Power Fx, and Power Automate flows, and where they actively work against the platform. Along the way, we’ll cover the patterns that trip developers up most often, including topic design, variable scope, conversation structure, and why agents sometimes behave nothing like you expected.

By the end of the session, you’ll understand how to work with Copilot Studio’s abstractions instead of fighting them, where the real extension points are, and how to design agents that are more reliable, maintainable, and aligned with how the platform actually works.