install-vscode-extension

Installs an add-on into Visual Studio Code by name, so you do not have to go and find it in the marketplace yourself.

WHEN TO USE

SCOPE

USE FOR

Install the stable version of a Visual Studio Code extension once you know its extension ID, like ms-python.python.
Install the pre-release build of an extension when asked, or when running Visual Studio Code Insiders.

This is a saved copy of the skill's SKILL.md instructions. It may differ from the upstream file or the version you install.

Installing VS Code extensions

VS Code extensions are identified by their unique extension ID, which typically follows the format publisher.extensionName. For example, the Python extension by Microsoft has the ID ms-python.python.
To install a VS Code extension, you need to use the VS Code command workbench.extensions.installExtension and pass in the extension ID. The args are of the format:

[extensionId, { enable: true, installPreReleaseVersion: boolean }]

NOTE: install the pre-release version of the extension if the user explicitly mentions it or if the current environment is VS Code Insiders. Otherwise, install the stable version.

Run that command via the copilot_runVscodeCommand tool. Make sure to pass the skipCheck argument as true to avoid checking if the command exists, as we know it does.

Built into VS Code. Nothing to install there. The npx skills add command copies the same instructions into another agent, but they are written for VS Code and may call tools only VS Code has.

Run this outside your AI tool, using Node.js 22.20.0 or newer. Skills CLI 1.7.2 skips skill selection; prompts cancel installation without an interactive terminal. If choosing Project when asked about installation scope, open your project's folder before running this.

Install checklist

Check selected tools if a picker appears; Claude Code may be unchecked under Additional agents. ↑/↓ moves, Space toggles selections, Enter confirms.
Without a tool picker, check Installing to: for your intended tool. Stop if it names a different tool.
If asked, choose Symlink (Recommended) for shared files or Copy to all agents for separate copies; review the summary before confirming installation.
Install the find-skills skill? defaults to Yes, adding another skill for all projects. Choose No if you don't want that extra installation.

Skills CLI 1.7.2 sends install data to skills.sh by default, including the source, skill names, target tools and file details; GitHub sources are reported only when GitHub confirms the repository is public, while other remote sources can also be reported. Confirmed-public GitHub sources also trigger a security-audit request. Before installing, set the environment variable DO_NOT_TRACK=1 or DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 to disable both.

npx skills add microsoft/vscode --skill "install-vscode-extension" --full-depth

After installing for Claude Code, open it in the installation project if you chose Project; Global makes the skill available across projects on this computer. Once Claude Code loads the skill, its description helps Claude decide when to use it.

If installation created a top-level skills folder that did not exist when your Claude Code session started, run /reload-skills in that session. Run it again after later changes in that folder.

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Installing VS Code extensions

No requirements beyond installing this skill were found.

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