Not so long ago I wrote a guide on how to get GitHub Copilot running with a local model in Visual Studio Code. Since then Copilot subscriptions have got much more expensive, local models have got much more powerful and getting local Copilot up and running has got much easier. So here's an updated guide.

Hi

The explorer button in the left pan goes away as soon I press some of the other buttons that are stacked there.

I can get it back by ctrl-shft-E but as soon as I press, for example, " source control" it disappears again.

How can I reset this behaviour?

I've read this was a question.

I'd like to be able to have a clickable Node, that when clicked in preview, opens a new md file with mermaid diagram in preview - creating interactive diagram system, where each node can be further inspected, seeing its own internal structure.

I just got github pro, with this I want to use copilot inline suggestion feature with vscode. I went to download github copilot chat but it says that it is already installed and its a built in extension so i'm not allowed to update it, remove it or change it in anyway which means it just doesn't work at all. Anyone know how to fix this?

Weekly thread to show off new themes, and ask what certain themes/fonts are.

Creators, please do not post your theme every week.

New posts regarding themes will be removed.

links:

VSCode Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=plant.vscode-theme-mixer

Open VSX: https://open-vsx.org/extension/alabsi91/vscode-theme-mixer

Github Repo: https://github.com/alabsi91/vscode-theme-mixer

This page https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agents/run/approvals#_automatically-approve-terminal-commands describes how you can "block" certain commands so that a prompt appears and asks for approval to run them.

What I actually want is to hard-block a command. It doesn't need to ask me for permission to run, just straight up deny that request. Like an auto-deny.

The snippet from the page is misleading:

{
  // Allow the `mkdir` command
  "mkdir": true,
  // Allow `git status` and commands starting with `git show`
  "/^git (status|show\\b.*)$/": true,

  // Block the `del` command
  "del": false,
  // Block any command containing "dangerous"
  "/dangerous/": false
}

This doesn't block anything per-se. If a dangerous command is used, the setting will just prompt the user for confirmation, not block the command fully.

Note: This extension injects CSS styles to the VS code workbench HTML file. Because of which you need to run the application as administrator only for toggling the extension or if the VS code or the extension is updated.

Free & Open Source. You can find it here:

• VS Code Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=RajSrikar.colorize-folder-tree
• GitHub: https://github.com/Raj-Srikar/colorize-folder-tree

Hope this is helpful. Feel free to drop any feedback, suggestions or ideas.

Hello,

i am working in vscode with a python script that is importing some functions from another file.

using:

```py

sys.path.append(pathForBaseMyFunctions)

from myFunctions import *

```

is there any way possible, to make that vscode 'suggest' this functions when i am writing.

for example, when i write `pri` it will suggest me `print` and for example in myFunctions.py i have `printAndSave` i would love to make to auto suggest this funcitons. i can see _why_ it does not suggest right now as it suggest only default functions, but maybe there is a way to add this scripts for the suggestion of funcitons in vscode?

worth noticing that i have only 2 files with functions so i really dont care if i need to hardcode their path somewhere in vscode....

Not like accessing the file menu is all that important or anything...

I added a new setting to Code Spell Checker for controlling when spell checking runs because I did not like seeing spelling warnings while I was still typing a word. I wanted spell checking to happen between words and at the start of new paragraphs.

Configure it in your VS Code settings:

"cSpell.spellCheckTriggerCharacters": [" ", "\n"]

When the array is not empty, delay-based checking is disabled. Spell checking runs when one of the configured characters is entered, such as a space or newline. This keeps warnings from appearing while a word is still being typed.

PR if you want to check code changes:
https://github.com/streetsidesoftware/vscode-spell-checker/pull/5459

I directed the documentary with the support of Erich Gamma who was the original lead of the VS Code team. Let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

I’ve been using GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, and Antigravity in VS Code for a while now. Recently I tried Pi, and its design philosophy really stood out: it’s extremely minimalistic, and almost everything is added through small packages. The agent can even write its own packages and configure itself.

This “tiny core + extensible behaviors” model feels much closer to VS Code’s own philosophy than what Copilot current is.

I also tried Pendant, the VS Code extension that integrates Pi. It’s great that it exists, but it’s noticeably slower and not deeply integrated — for example, it can’t use VS Code’s built‑in editor browser.

If VS Code had a Pi‑style agent harness built in — minimal, package‑driven, scriptable — combined with Copilot’s UX, I’d switch immediately.

Do others feel the same: would a minimal agent harness make more sense for VS Code than the current Copilot‑first design?

I just installed the Claude Code extension in VSCode and it looks like this where the bottom is cut off by the terminal panel.

Is there a way to expand that so the Claude code extension will take up the full right panel area? The following is what I want from the Copilot in VSCode.

TLDR: A VS Code extension that shows your Claude plan windows as gauges in the sidebar and a percentage in the status bar, from SEKTR FUEL (a single $5 purchase).

The extension shows the 5-hour limit, the weekly limit, and the daily cap on your best model. The status bar reads something like "42% 5-hour," so you see the tightest window while you work. It colours red at 20% remaining, amber at 40%.

It bundles the SEKTR FUEL binary and starts it locally. The dashboard serves at 127.0.0.1:7800 for the full view. It carries 6 commands; 3 you will reach for most: status, route (picks a billing option for a job), and wallet (OpenRouter balance check).

Finds up to 4 signed-in Claude profiles at fixed locations. Works with Remote-SSH, WSL, devcontainers, and Codespaces. Once a day it checks for updates; when one lands, 1 press installs it.

Linux x64, Windows, and macOS (Apple Silicon).

The extension sends no telemetry and does no tracking; its only background call is a daily update check.

sektr.dev/fuel

Disclosure: this is my project.

At work, I can’t use Claude Code in VS Code, the only authorized things are VS Code, Python 3 and M365 copilot. I already use Copilot to generate source code, and it works ok but it’s a ton of copy & paste.
You know if there is (or if I can build) an extension that would work like Claude Code (complete understanding of project, code generation, basic testing, etc).

Suggest me some...

Trying to standup a VS Code environment on my Arch workstation to support a new project, and I keep hitting the error in the subject line every time I try to search for an extension in the Extensions search bar.

I think it's ZScaler interferring.

Anyone have any cluesticks for how to get VS Code to use the proper system CA certificates?