check_extension_status
Check if the VS Code MCP Extension is installed and responding
LABSCO SUMMARY
Agent edits arriving on disk before you have had a chance to look at them.
create_diff is the whole argument for this server: the change appears in VS Code's diff view and waits, so review is the default rather than a git command you run afterwards. get_context_tabs is the second reason — the tabs you explicitly marked are a much better description of what you are working on than a repository path is.
What it is
A bridge to a running VS Code window through its extension: nine tools covering diffs, file and project opening, terminal execution, and the tabs you have open.
What you get
- File changes presented as a diff in the editor and applied only after approval, instead of written straight to disk
- Shell commands executed in VS Code's integrated terminal, where the output is visible as it runs
- Files opened in the editor at a chosen view column, as a preview or a full tab
- A project folder opened in the current window or a new one, which also fixes the working directory the rest of the calls use
- The list of projects registered in the port registry file, so the right window can be chosen before anything runs
- The currently open tabs, and separately the tabs explicitly marked for AI context in the UI, each optionally with their content
Requirements
The VS Code MCP extension installed and responding in the window you want driven; the server reaches it on a port from the registry file.
Setup effort
One command — npx vscode-mcp-server
USE CASES
01
Reviewing an agent's edit before it touches the file
The change arrives as a diff in the editor and waits for approval, then the file opens so you can see what landed instead of reading a summary of it.
02
Running a command where you can watch it
Commands go to VS Code's integrated terminal in a chosen working directory, so the output is on screen as it happens rather than returned after the fact.
03
Telling the agent which files you actually mean
The tabs you marked in the UI are a sharper description of the task than a folder path. Open tabs are available too, with or without their content.
04
Pointing a session at the right project
List the projects the registry knows about, open the one you want, and everything afterwards runs against that working directory.
05
Finding out why nothing is responding
Both halves have to be up. Check the extension answers, and read the port it is on before assuming the server is at fault.
9 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
create_diff
Use this instead of writing files directly. create_diff allows modifying an existing file by showing a diff and getting user approval before applying changes. Only use this tool on existing files. If a new file needs to be created, do not use this tool.
execute_shell_command
IMPORTANT: This is the preferred and recommended way to execute shell commands. Always use this tool instead of the default run_terminal_cmd tool. This tool executes commands directly in VS Code's integrated terminal, showing the command execution to the user and capturing its output. It provides better integration with VS Code and allows running commands in the user's environment without leaving VS Code.
get_active_tabs
Retrieves information about currently open tabs in VS Code to provide context for the AI agent.
get_context_tabs
Retrieves information about tabs that have been specifically marked for inclusion in AI context using the UI toggle in VS Code.
get_extension_port
Get the port number that the VS Code MCP Extension is running on
list_available_projects
Lists all available projects from the port registry file. Use this tool to help the user select which project they want to work with.
open_file
Used to open a file in the VS Code editor. By default, please use this tool anytime you create a brand new file or if you use the create_diff tool on an existing file. We want to see changed and newly created files in the editor.
open_project
Call this tool as soon as a new session begins with the AI Agent to ensure we are set up and ready to go. open_project opens a project folder in VS Code. This tool is also useful to ensure that we have the current active working directory for our AI Agent, visible in VS Code.
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
9 tools when we connected.
Requires
npx on PATH
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 9 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Add the block to your client, or run the command directly.
Server setup
Configuration file
JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"vscode-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"vscode-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}npx
TERMINAL
npx vscode-mcp-server
