Vscode

vscode

The vscode worker runs the VS Code Server through the code CLI, one loopback process per workspace directory with its own isolated profile, and ships a Console page that embeds the Workbench for the chat's working directory. It gives people the editor they already use, with their extensions, settings sync, and terminals, inside the Console beside the conversation. Requires the VS Code CLI on the host; the first start of a workspace downloads the matching server build.

The worker owns process lifecycle only. It does not read, write, or search files on the agent's behalf and it never exposes the server beyond loopback.

When to Use

• A person asks to open the working directory, a repository, or a folder in VS Code, or wants an editor beside the chat.
• A person wants to inspect a change in a real editor before continuing the conversation, and vscode::start for that folder returns a running server the Console page then shows.
• A workspace's server should be reused, listed, stopped, or its profile removed after work is done.

Boundaries

• Not a file API. For reading, searching, or editing files use shell or coder::*; for a shared buffer the agent and person both see, use editor.
• Not remote access. The server binds only to loopback and refuses any other bind_host; a remote or multi-user Console needs its own authenticated proxy first.
• Starting a server exposes the host filesystem to the local browser, so vscode::start is allowed by default while vscode::stop and vscode::delete stay approval-gated.
• The Workbench itself is VS Code Web; the worker adds no editor features of its own.

Functions

• vscode::start — start a server for an absolute workspace directory, or return the running one; the id defaults to a stable hash of the path.
• vscode::instances::list — every server the worker owns with host, port, pid, status, and exit code.
• vscode::stop — stop a server's process group by id.
• vscode::delete — stop a server, forget it, and optionally remove its data directory with delete_profile.

The Console page calls vscode::start for the chat's working directory and opens http://<host>:<port>/ in a frame; another worker can open a specific folder with panels.open({ pageId: 'vscode', context: { workspace } }). Configuration (CLI path, data directory, bind host, port range, timeouts) is managed by the configuration worker under the id vscode.