Launch the real CAT terminal app (Python + Textual) inside the VS Code integrated terminal — one click, correct workspace, zero re-implementation.
This extension is a launcher and integration bridge only. CAT itself is the existing cat command from the
cct-ai-ide Python package (calc_terminal). Nothing is re-implemented,
no fake webview UI is opened, and nothing is executed without a visible terminal showing it.
What you get
CAT entry in the Activity Bar — the CAT icon opens a small launcher view
(Open CAT CLI · New CAT Terminal · detection status).
CAT: Open CAT CLI in the Command Palette (also bound to Ctrl+Alt+C, Ctrl+Cmd+C on macOS).
Editor title action — a CAT button on every open editor.
Status bar item — a ⌨ CAT shortcut in the bottom right.
Integrated terminal launch — CAT runs in a terminal named CAT CLI, created in the current workspace folder.
Terminal reuse — clicking again focuses the existing CAT terminal instead of stacking new ones
(CAT: New Terminal forces a fresh one).
Python environment detection — workspace .venv / venv / env, conda, Poetry, VS Code's selected
interpreter, Windows py/python, macOS/Linux python3/python.
Human-readable failures — missing Python or CAT produce a clear notification with
Install CAT · Open Documentation · Cancel. Nothing installs without your explicit click; the install
command is typed into a visible terminal so you can see (and edit) it before it runs.
Requirements
CAT CLI installed:
pip install cct-ai-ide (or pip install -e . from a source checkout).
If it is missing, the extension tells you and offers safe next steps.
How CAT is launched
The extension resolves, in order (no invented flags — these are the repository's real entry points):
cat.cli.command if you set it explicitly (e.g. "python -m calc_terminal"); {workspace} expands to the
current workspace folder.
The verified Python environment's own launcher: …\.venv\Scripts\cat.exe, then cat on PATH (Windows) /
catx/cct (macOS/Linux — bare cat is GNU coreutils there and is deliberately not used).
Fallback: <python> -m calc_terminal <workspace> (the package's __main__.py entry point).
The workspace is passed as CAT's documented positional path argument (cat <path> opens that project), and the
terminal's cwd is the workspace folder, so CAT auto-detects your project either way.
Extension Settings
Setting
Default
Description
cat.cli.command
cat
Launcher command. Bare cat = auto-detect; a full command string is used as-is. Supports {workspace}.
cat.cli.pythonPath
""
Python interpreter to use. Empty = auto-detect.
cat.cli.autoDetectPython
true
Auto-detect the Python environment (venv/conda/poetry/system).
cat.cli.reuseTerminal
true
Reuse the existing CAT terminal instead of opening a new one per click.
cat.cli.terminalName
CAT CLI
Name of the integrated terminal created for CAT.
Commands
Command
Title
kazizillani.cat-cli.open
CAT: Open CAT CLI
kazizillani.cat-cli.newTerminal
CAT: New Terminal
kazizillani.cat-cli.reinstall
CAT: Reinstall / Setup
Security
Only official VS Code APIs are used; the workbench DOM is never touched.
No process is started in the background — CAT is visible in its terminal.
Verification only runs python -c "import calc_terminal" against candidate interpreters (array argv,
shell: false). Workspace files, package.json scripts and AI output are never executed.
No downloads, no silent installs. Installation happens only after you click Install CAT.
Release Notes
0.7.9
Rewritten as a lightweight launcher bridge: commands renamed to kazizillani.cat-cli.*,
webview sidebar replaced by a native tree launcher view, real terminal reuse, cwd-aware launching,
Python environment detection, and safe install path.
Development
cd cat-cli
npm install
npm test # lint + unit tests + integration tests (VS Code 1.138)
npx vsce package # build the .vsix
