/microsoft-foundry-local

name: microsoft-foundry-local
description: Expert knowledge for Microsoft Foundry Local (aka Azure AI Foundry Local) development including best practices, decision making, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. Use when compiling HF models with Olive, using CLI/SDK, embeddings/chat, audio, tool calls, or REST apps, and other Microsoft Foundry Local related development tasks. Not for Azure Local (use azure-local), Microsoft Foundry (use microsoft-foundry), Microsoft Foundry Classic (use microsoft-foundry-classic).
compatibility: Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata:
  generated_at: "2026-11-08"
  generator: "docs2skills/1.0.0"

Microsoft Foundry Local Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Microsoft Foundry Local. Covers best practices, decision making, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: Use the **Category Index** below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., `L35-L120`), use `read_file` with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., `[security.md](security.md)`), use `read_file` on the linked reference file

> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: If `metadata.generated_at` is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If `mcp_microsoftdocs` tools are not available, suggest the user install it: [Installation Guide](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)

This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content:

• **Preferred**: Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill`. Returns Markdown.
• **Fallback**: Use `fetch_webpage` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown`. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

| Category | Lines | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | Best Practices | L32-L36 | Troubleshooting Foundry Local CLI issues, applying recommended workflows, and resolving common setup, auth, build, and deployment problems. | | Decision Making | L37-L42 | Guidance on choosing between legacy vs current Foundry Local SDK and step-by-step instructions for migrating existing apps to the current SDK. | | Configuration | L43-L50 | Configuring Foundry Local tools: compiling Hugging Face models with Olive, using and tuning the CLI, and setting up SDK configuration options and files. | | Integrations & Coding Patterns | L51-L61 | SDK and API patterns for using Foundry Local: embeddings, chat completions, audio transcription (live/file), OpenAI-style clients, LangChain apps, tool calling, and REST integration. |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Apply best practices and troubleshoot Foundry Local CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-best-practice |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Decide between legacy and current Foundry Local SDK | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-sdk-legacy | | Migrate applications to the current Foundry Local SDK | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-sdk-migration |

Configuration

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Compile Hugging Face models for Foundry Local with Olive | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-compile-hugging-face-models | | Operate and configure the Foundry Local CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-use-foundry-local-cli | | Reference commands and options for Foundry Local CLI | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-cli | | Reference configuration for Foundry Local SDKs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-sdk-current |

Integrations & Coding Patterns

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Generate text embeddings with Foundry Local SDK | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-generate-embeddings | | Integrate Foundry Local with OpenAI-style inference SDKs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-integrate-with-inference-sdks | | Live microphone transcription with Foundry Local | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-live-transcribe-audio | | Transcribe audio files using Foundry Local SDK | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-transcribe-audio | | Build a LangChain translation app with Foundry Local | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-use-langchain-with-foundry-local | | Use Foundry Local native chat completions API | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-use-native-chat-completions | | Implement tool calling with Foundry Local models | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/how-to/how-to-use-tool-calling-with-foundry-local | | Foundry Local REST API reference for local inference | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/foundry-local/reference/reference-rest |