Add quickstart for local dev/build. update documents

.github/copilot-instructions.md

@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@ This is the source repository for **Windows Terminal**, **Windows Console Host**
 
 ## Build
 
-Requires Visual Studio 2022 (17.10+) with "Desktop Development with C++" and "Universal Windows Platform Development" workloads, plus the Windows 11 SDK (10.0.22621.0). The solution uses the `.slnx` format (`OpenConsole.slnx`), which requires MSBuild 17.10 or later. If you get `"Invalid input 'OpenConsole.slnx'. The file type was not recognized."`, update Visual Studio.
-
-```powershell
-# First time: initialize submodules
-git submodule update --init --recursive
-```
+Requires Visual Studio (preferably Visual Studio 2026) with "Desktop Development with C++" and "Universal Windows Platform Development" workloads, plus the Windows 11 SDK (10.0.22621.0). The solution uses the `.slnx` format (`OpenConsole.slnx`), which requires MSBuild 17.10 or later. If you get `"Invalid input 'OpenConsole.slnx'. The file type was not recognized."`, update Visual Studio.
 
 Build uses MSBuild via the CMD razzle environment. Run `razzle.cmd` once per terminal session to set up the environment, then use the build commands. Since razzle sets env vars in CMD, chain commands with `&&` when calling from PowerShell (e.g., `cmd /c ".\tools\razzle.cmd && bz"`):
 

README.md

@@ -257,6 +257,9 @@ We are excited to work alongside you, our amazing community, to build and enhanc
 
 **Before you start work on a feature/fix**, please read & follow the [Windows Terminal Contributor's Guide](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md). The contribution process is the same.
 
+For local dev/build of this repo, see:
+[quick-start-local-dev](doc/quick-start-local-dev.md)
+
 ---
 
 ## Code of Conduct

doc/building.md

@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 
 # How to build OpenConsole
 
-This repository uses [git submodules](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Tools-Submodules) for some of its dependencies. To make sure submodules are restored or updated, be sure to run the following prior to building:
-
-```shell
-git submodule update --init --recursive
-```
+This repository's dependencies come from NuGet, vcpkg, and the vendored `oss/` tree, and are restored automatically by the build.
 
 OpenConsole.slnx may be built from within Visual Studio or from the command-line using a set of convenience scripts & tools in the **/tools** directory:
 

doc/quick-start-local-dev.md

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Quick start for local development
+
+The fast path for local development. Intelligent Terminal is a dual-stack project: the Rust
+**WTA** agent (`tools/wta/`) plus the C++ **Windows Terminal** app (`src/`). For command-line
+builds, CI, packaging, and troubleshooting, see [building.md](./building.md).
+
+## 1. First-time setup
+
+**1.1. Install:**
+
+- **Visual Studio 2026 (18.x)** with the **Desktop development with C++** and **Universal Windows
+  Platform development** workloads.
+- **Rust** via [rustup](https://rustup.rs/) (standard rustup; the repo's toolchain pin falls back
+  to stable).
+
+Then open `OpenConsole.slnx` in Visual Studio and click **Install** on the "extra components"
+prompt. It reads `.vsconfig` and adds what the build needs, including **C++ Universal Windows
+Platform tools (Latest MSVC)** (required for `WindowsTerminal` to load; a separate item from the
+UWP workload). NuGet and vcpkg dependencies restore automatically during the build, so that is all
+the setup needed.
+
+**1.2. Build and run** (two build systems, in order):
+
+1. Build the Rust agent:
+   `cargo build --target <the target triple> --manifest-path <the toml file>`
+
+   For instance,
+   ```powershell
+   cargo build --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc --manifest-path tools/wta/Cargo.toml
+   ```
+2. In Visual Studio:
+   - Set startup project: **`CascadiaPackage`**
+   - Select platform, **x64** for instance.
+   - Go to `CascadiaPackage` > Properties > Debug: set **Application process** and **Background task
+     process** to **Native Only**
+   - Run (**F5**)
+
+F5 builds the app, deploys, and launches Windows Terminal (Dev) with the debugger attached. The
+first build is slow; later ones are incremental.
+
+## 2. After changing code
+
+| Changed | Do this |
+|---------|---------|
+| **Rust** (`tools/wta/`) | Rebuild via `cargo build`. For instance,<br>`cargo build --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc --manifest-path tools/wta/Cargo.toml` |
+| **C++** (`src/`) | Press **F5** in Visual Studio |
+
+`cargo build` is incremental (seconds for a small change). To see a WTA change inside the running
+Terminal (agent pane, autofix), press **F5** afterward so the new `wta.exe` is copied in.
+
+> If a rebuild reports `wta.exe` in use, stop the running instance first: close the Dev Terminal,
+> or run `taskkill /f /im wta.exe`.
+
+## 3. Running tests
+
+| Side | Command |
+|------|---------|
+| **Rust** | `cargo test --manifest-path tools/wta/Cargo.toml` |
+| **C++** (TAEF) | `runut.cmd` (unit), `runft.cmd` (feature), `runuia.cmd` (UIA), from a dev environment |
+
+Run one C++ test with `te.exe <Tests.dll> /name:<pattern>`. See [building.md](./building.md) for
+the dev environment and [TAEF.md](./TAEF.md) for details.

tools/razzle.cmd

@@ -44,29 +44,36 @@ for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`dir /b /aD /o-N /s "%~dp0..\packages\vswhere*
 
 if not defined VSWHERE (
     echo Could not find vswhere on your machine. Please set the VSWHERE variable to the location of vswhere.exe and run razzle again.
-    goto :EXIT
+    exit /b 1
 )
 
 rem Add path to MSBuild Binaries
 rem
-rem We're going to always prefer prerelease version of VS 2022. The -version
-rem range [17.0,18.0) ensures we pick VS 2022 (including previews) but not a
-rem newer major version whose toolset may be incompatible with our v143
-rem PlatformToolset. If you need VS 18+, update PlatformToolset in
-rem src\common.build.pre.props as well.
-rem
-for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%B in (`%VSWHERE% -latest -prerelease -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -version "[17.0,18.0)" -find MSBuild\**\Bin\MSBuild.exe 2^>nul`) do (
+for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%B in (`%VSWHERE% -latest -prerelease -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -find MSBuild\**\Bin\MSBuild.exe 2^>nul`) do (
     set MSBUILD=%%B
 )
 
 if not defined MSBUILD (
     echo Could not find MsBuild on your machine. Please set the MSBUILD variable to the location of MSBuild.exe and run razzle again.
-    goto :EXIT
+    exit /b 1
 )
 
 :FOUND_MSBUILD
 
-set PATH=%PATH%%MSBUILD%\..;
+rem Guard: make sure we actually resolved a real MSBuild.exe. Without this, a
+rem chained command like `razzle && bcz` would run bcz with an empty MSBUILD/
+rem PLATFORM/CONFIGURATION and fail cryptically with '""' is not recognized.
+if not exist "%MSBUILD%" (
+    echo Could not find a usable MSBuild.exe ^(resolved: "%MSBUILD%"^).
+    echo Open a "Developer PowerShell/Command Prompt for VS", or run
+    echo   Import-Module .\tools\OpenConsole.psm1; Set-MsbuildDevEnvironment
+    echo in your shell before razzle, then try again.
+    exit /b 1
+)
+
+rem Add MSBuild's own directory to PATH, with a proper ; separator.
+for %%F in ("%MSBUILD%") do set "MSBUILD_BIN=%%~dpF"
+set "PATH=%PATH%;%MSBUILD_BIN%"
 
 if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%" == "AMD64" (
     set ARCH=x64
@@ -123,5 +130,6 @@ set OpenConBuild=true
 
 :END
 echo The dev environment is ready to go!
+exit /b 0
 
 :EXIT