Skip to main content

VS Code

VS Code connects to AgentXchain in two ways: the official VS Code extension for in-editor governance (status, approvals, notifications) and a local CLI agent (Claude Code, Codex, Copilot CLI, or Cline) for the actual coding work.

The extension​

The AgentXchain VS Code extension adds governed operations directly inside VS Code:

  • Status sidebar: live run state, turn history, pending gates
  • Approval actions: approve phase transitions and run completions without leaving the editor
  • Step/run launch: dispatch governed steps or start runs from the command palette
  • Notifications: real-time alerts when gates open, turns complete, or runs block
  • Reports: full governance report rendered in-editor
  • Dashboard launch: open the browser dashboard from VS Code

Install the extension​

Search for "AgentXchain" in the VS Code Extensions panel, or install from the Marketplace.

The extension activates automatically when it detects an agentxchain.json in your workspace.

The coding agent​

The extension provides governance UI, but the actual coding work is done by a local CLI agent. Configure any of these as your local_cli runtime:

Configuration​

{
  "runtimes": {
    "manual-pm": {
      "type": "manual"
    },
    "local-dev": {
      "type": "local_cli",
      "command": ["claude", "--print", "--dangerously-skip-permissions"],
      "cwd": ".",
      "prompt_transport": "stdin"
    },
    "api-qa": {
      "type": "api_proxy",
      "provider": "anthropic",
      "model": "claude-sonnet-4-6",
      "auth_env": "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"
    }
  },
  "roles": {
    "pm": { "runtime": "manual-pm", "mandate": "Define requirements", "authority": "authoritative" },
    "dev": { "runtime": "local-dev", "mandate": "Implement features", "authority": "proposed" },
    "qa": { "runtime": "api-qa", "mandate": "Review and test", "authority": "review_only" }
  }
}

Workflow​

  1. Open your governed project in VS Code
  2. The AgentXchain sidebar activates, showing current run state
  3. Use the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) to run AgentXchain commands
  4. Approve phase transitions and completions via notification popups or the sidebar
  5. Monitor turn progress in the sidebar dashboard

Gotchas​

  • Extension requires the CLI: The extension calls agentxchain CLI commands under the hood. Install the CLI first (npm install -g agentxchain).
  • Multi-root workspaces: The extension activates for the first workspace folder containing agentxchain.json.
  • Notifications are file-watcher driven: State changes are detected by watching .agentxchain/ directory changes — no polling.