Otto Code for VS Code
Otto Code is a terminal-centric AI coding companion for VS Code. It bridges the gap between your editor and your command line, bringing workspace awareness, interactive diff reviews, and instant split-terminal workflows directly into your development loop.
Key Features
Instant Toggle & Focus
Never lose your flow. Press Cmd+Esc (macOS) or Ctrl+Esc (Windows/Linux) to instantly toggle or focus the Otto Code terminal side-by-side with your editor. Start a fresh session anytime with Cmd+Shift+Esc.
Zero-Configuration Workspace Link
No manual port binding or setup required. Otto automatically establishes a secure local bridge so terminal sessions instantly recognize your active workspace, active files, and focused lines.
Interactive Diff Reviews
Review AI-generated code changes visually. Otto file edits open in native VS Code diff tabs, allowing you to review, accept, or reject modifications with a single click.
Smart Context Mentions
Send any file or line range directly to your active Otto session. Highlight code and press Cmd+Option+K (macOS) or Ctrl+Alt+K (Windows/Linux) to reference it instantly as an active @file context chip.
Configurable Providers
Access your provider configurations (providers.json) directly from the command palette to switch models, backends, or credentials on the fly.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action |
macOS |
Windows / Linux |
| Toggle / Focus Otto Terminal |
Cmd + Esc |
Ctrl + Esc |
| Open New Terminal Session |
Cmd + Shift + Esc |
Ctrl + Shift + Esc |
| Add File Reference to Terminal |
Cmd + Option + K |
Ctrl + Alt + K |
Configuration Settings
Customize Otto's behavior under VS Code Settings (settings.json):
ottoCode.launchCommand (default: "otto"): The executable used to start Otto Code. Automatically falls back to ottodev for local development configurations.ottoCode.terminalName (default: "Otto Code"): The tab name for Otto terminal sessions.ottoCode.autoShareContext (default: false): Automatically share the active file/selection when launching a new terminal.ottoCode.configDir (default: ""): Custom configuration directory override (defaults to OTTO_CONFIG_DIR or ~/.otto).
Privacy & Local-First Architecture
The VS Code companion is built with security and developer privacy in mind:
- Local-Only Communication: Communicates entirely via loopback (
127.0.0.1) using transient local tokens.
- No Telemetry: The extension collects no usage analytics, tracking data, or source code metrics.
- Secure Discoverability: Otto terminal sessions securely discover VS Code editor instances via standard process-level lockfiles under
~/.otto/ide.
