Azure · farhann1 · Sep 10, 2026 · Sep 10, 2026 · Sep 10, 2026 · Sep 10, 2026
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Release History
 
-## 0.4.0-preview (Unreleased)
+## 0.4.1-preview (Unreleased)
 
 - Align environment discovery and remote invocation with the refreshed RLE service routes and cursor-based response contracts.
 - Use `/rl_environments` consistently for environment and instance lifecycle APIs.
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 - Delete the temporary instance and group on exit with Ctrl+C-independent cleanup and concise terminal status.
 - Persist the environment name as `environmentName` while continuing to read legacy `name` state files.
 - Authenticate and API-version OpenEnv gateway requests on the configured Foundry project origin, wait for runtime health before reporting readiness, and route the browser playground through an authenticated local proxy.
+- Initialize a required local folder by interactively selecting and sparsely downloading an environment from the RLE samples repository.
 
 ## 0.3.0-preview
 

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Install:
 - Azure CLI (`az`): https://learn.microsoft.com/cli/azure/install-azure-cli
 - Docker Desktop: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/
 - Go, if building from source: https://go.dev/doc/install
-- Git, if building from source: https://git-scm.com/downloads
+- Git, required by `azd ai rle init` to download samples: https://git-scm.com/downloads
 
 Verify:
 
@@ -81,23 +81,31 @@ az acr login --name <registry>
 
 ### 1. Initialize an environment session
 
-Default echo session:
+Select a sample and use its name for the local folder and RLE environment:
 
 ```powershell
 azd ai rle init
-cd .\echo_env
 ```
 
-The default echo session downloads the Hugging Face `OpenEnv` repo, copies `envs/echo_env` into the session folder, and writes `.azd-rle.json` with the local `environmentName`. Existing state files that use the legacy `name` property remain supported.
+`init` reads the available environments from
+[rle-samples](https://github.com/sujit-kamireddy/rle-samples) and prompts you to select one.
+Only the selected sample is downloaded. For example, selecting `code_rl` copies it into `.\code_rl`
+and stores `code_rl` as the RLE environment name in `.azd-rle.json`.
 
-The copied session does not keep `.git` metadata from the upstream repository.
+To use a different local folder and RLE environment name, provide it before selecting a sample:
 
-Name the copied echo session:
+```powershell
+azd ai rle init my_environment
+```
+
+When prompts are disabled, the required positional name selects the sample and is also used for the folder:
 
 ```powershell
-azd ai rle init code_rl
+azd ai rle init code_rl --no-prompt
 ```
 
+The copied session does not keep `.git` metadata from the sample repository.
+
 For an existing source folder, skip `init` and run commands directly from that folder.
 
 ### 2. Run locally

@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ tags:
   - ai
   - rle
 usage: azd ai rle <command> [options]
-version: 0.4.0-preview
+version: 0.4.1-preview
 examples:
   - name: init
-    description: Copy the OpenEnv echo sample into a local RLE environment.
-    usage: azd ai rle init
+    description: Select an RLE sample and copy it into a new local folder.
+    usage: azd ai rle init [folder-name]
   - name: publish
     description: Build, push, and create or update the RLE environment.
     usage: azd ai rle publish --version-bump major

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/azidentity v1.13.1
 	github.com/azure/azure-dev/cli/azd v1.25.0
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.18.0
+	github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.5.3
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.10.1
 )
 

@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 h1:NIvaJDMOsjHA8n1jAhLSgzrAzy1Hgr+hNrb57e+94F0=
 github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+yHo=
 github.com/gorilla/css v1.0.1 h1:ntNaBIghp6JmvWnxbZKANoLyuXTPZ4cAMlo6RyhlbO8=
 github.com/gorilla/css v1.0.1/go.mod h1:BvnYkspnSzMmwRK+b8/xgNPLiIuNZr6vbZBTPQ2A3b0=
+github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.5.3 h1:saDtZ6Pbx/0u+bgYQ3q96pZgCzfhKXGPqt7kZ72aNNg=
+github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.5.3/go.mod h1:YR8l580nyteQvAITg2hZ9XVh4b55+EU/adAjf1fMHhE=
 github.com/hexops/gotextdiff v1.0.3 h1:gitA9+qJrrTCsiCl7+kh75nPqQt1cx4ZkudSTLoUqJM=
 github.com/hexops/gotextdiff v1.0.3/go.mod h1:pSWU5MAI3yDq+fZBTazCSJysOMbxWL1BSow5/V2vxeg=
 github.com/hinshun/vt10x v0.0.0-20220119200601-820417d04eec h1:qv2VnGeEQHchGaZ/u7lxST/RaJw+cv273q79D81Xbog=

@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 
 	"azure.ai.rle/internal/project"
@@ -20,34 +22,50 @@ type rleInitFlags struct {
 }
 
 type initAction struct {
-	cmd             *cobra.Command
-	flags           *rleInitFlags
-	envNameOverride string
+	cmd        *cobra.Command
+	flags      *rleInitFlags
+	folderName string
+	noPrompt   bool
 }
 
-var checkoutOpenEnvEchoSampleFunc = project.CheckoutOpenEnvEchoSample
+type rleSampleCatalog interface {
+	SampleNames() []string
+	Copy(sampleName string, folderName string, dest string, force bool) (string, error)
+	Close() error
+}
+
+var loadRleSampleCatalogFunc = func() (rleSampleCatalog, error) {
+	return project.LoadRleSampleCatalog()
+}
 
-func newInitCommand() *cobra.Command {
+var selectRleSampleFunc = selectRleSample
+
+func newInitCommand(noPrompt *bool) *cobra.Command {
 	flags := &rleInitFlags{}
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "init",
-		Short: "Initialize a local RLE environment",
+		Use:   "init [folder-name]",
+		Short: "Initialize a local RLE environment from a sample",
 		Args:  cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			envNameOverride := ""
+			folderName := ""
 			if len(args) == 1 {
-				envNameOverride = args[0]
+				folderName = args[0]
 			}
-			return (&initAction{cmd: cmd, flags: flags, envNameOverride: envNameOverride}).Run()
+			return (&initAction{
+				cmd:        cmd,
+				flags:      flags,
+				folderName: folderName,
+				noPrompt:   noPrompt != nil && *noPrompt,
+			}).Run()
 		},
 	}
 
 	cmd.SetHelpFunc(func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		var help strings.Builder
-		help.WriteString("Initialize a local RLE environment\n")
+		help.WriteString("Initialize a local RLE environment from a sample\n")
 		help.WriteString("Usage:\n")
-		help.WriteString("  rle init [environment-name] [flags]\n")
+		help.WriteString("  rle init [folder-name] [flags]\n")
 		help.WriteString("Flags:\n")
 		help.WriteString("      --force     Overwrite generated files in an existing non-empty session directory\n")
 		help.WriteString("  -h, --help      help for init\n")
@@ -62,32 +80,125 @@ func newInitCommand() *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func (a *initAction) Run() error {
-	envName := firstNonEmpty(a.envNameOverride, "echo_env")
-	var err error
-	envName, err = project.ValidateEnvironmentName(envName)
-	if err != nil {
+	if a.noPrompt && a.folderName == "" {
 		return &azdext.LocalError{
-			Message:    err.Error(),
-			Code:       "rle_invalid_environment_name",
+			Message:    "A sample name is required when prompts are disabled.",
+			Code:       "rle_sample_name_required",
 			Category:   azdext.LocalErrorCategoryUser,
-			Suggestion: "Use snake_case starting with a letter, for example code_rl.",
+			Suggestion: "Run azd ai rle init <sample-name> --no-prompt.",
+		}
+	}
+	folderName := a.folderName
+	if folderName != "" {
+		var err error
+		folderName, err = validateRleFolderName(folderName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	sessionDir, err := checkoutOpenEnvEchoSampleFunc(envName, ".", a.flags.force)
+	catalog, err := loadRleSampleCatalogFunc()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = catalog.Close()
+	}()
+	requestedSample := ""
+	if a.noPrompt {
+		requestedSample = folderName
+	}
+	sampleName, err := resolveRleSample(a.cmd.Context(), requestedSample, catalog.SampleNames())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if folderName == "" {
+		folderName, err = validateRleFolderName(sampleName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	sessionDir, err := catalog.Copy(sampleName, folderName, ".", a.flags.force)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := saveRleStateIn(sessionDir, defaultRleState(envName)); err != nil {
+	if err := saveRleStateIn(sessionDir, defaultRleState(folderName)); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	displayDir := "." + string(os.PathSeparator) + sessionDir
+	if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(a.cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Copied RLE sample %q.\n", sampleName); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	_, err = fmt.Fprint(a.cmd.OutOrStdout(), initNextSteps(displayDir, runtime.GOOS, os.Getenv("SHELL")))
 	return err
 }
 
+func validateRleFolderName(folderName string) (string, error) {
+	validated, err := project.ValidateEnvironmentName(folderName)
+	if err == nil {
+		return validated, nil
+	}
+	return "", &azdext.LocalError{
+		Message:    err.Error(),
+		Code:       "rle_invalid_environment_name",
+		Category:   azdext.LocalErrorCategoryUser,
+		Suggestion: "Use snake_case starting with a letter, for example code_rl.",
+	}
+}
+
+func resolveRleSample(ctx context.Context, requestedSample string, sampleNames []string) (string, error) {
+	if requestedSample == "" {
+		return selectRleSampleFunc(ctx, sampleNames)
+	}
+	if slices.Contains(sampleNames, requestedSample) {
+		return requestedSample, nil
+	}
+	return "", &azdext.LocalError{
+		Message:    fmt.Sprintf("RLE sample %q was not found.", requestedSample),
+		Code:       "rle_sample_not_found",
+		Category:   azdext.LocalErrorCategoryUser,
+		Suggestion: fmt.Sprintf("Choose one of the available samples: %s.", strings.Join(sampleNames, ", ")),
+	}
+}
+
+func selectRleSample(ctx context.Context, sampleNames []string) (string, error) {
+	if len(sampleNames) == 0 {
+		return "", &azdext.LocalError{
+			Message:    "No RLE samples are available.",
+			Code:       "rle_samples_empty",
+			Category:   azdext.LocalErrorCategoryUser,
+			Suggestion: "Add a sample to the RLE samples repository, then retry.",
+		}
+	}
+	choices := make([]*azdext.SelectChoice, len(sampleNames))
+	for index, sampleName := range sampleNames {
+		choices[index] = &azdext.SelectChoice{Label: sampleName, Value: sampleName}
+	}
+	azdClient, err := azdext.NewAzdClient()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("create azd client for sample selection: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer azdClient.Close()
+	response, err := azdClient.Prompt().Select(azdext.WithAccessToken(ctx), &azdext.SelectRequest{
+		Options: &azdext.SelectOptions{
+			Message:         "Select an RLE sample",
+			Choices:         choices,
+			DisplayNumbers:  new(true),
+			EnableFiltering: new(true),
+		},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("select RLE sample: %w", err)
+	}
+	selectedIndex := int(response.GetValue())
+	if selectedIndex < 0 || selectedIndex >= len(sampleNames) {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("invalid RLE sample selection index: %d", selectedIndex)
+	}
+	return sampleNames[selectedIndex], nil
+}
+
 func initNextSteps(displayDir string, goos string, shell string) string {
 	projectEndpoint := `https://<account>.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/<project>`
 	registryEndpoint := `<registry>.azurecr.io`
@@ -111,7 +222,7 @@ func initNextSteps(displayDir string, goos string, shell string) string {
 	}
 
 	return fmt.Sprintf(
-		"Created OpenEnv-style environment at: %s\n"+
+		"Created RLE environment at: %s\n"+
 			"\nRun locally:\n"+
 			"  cd \"%s\"\n"+
 			"  azd ai rle run\n"+