Bonsai Context Manager

Start

1. Install the VSIX.
2. Open one or more repository folders in VS Code.
3. Run Bonsai Context Manager: Generate.

The extension is self-contained. It does not download, install, or execute a separate Bonsai binary.

Generated context is written to files. Use Bonsai Context Manager: Add Agent Instructions to add an AGENTS.md section telling agents to read every generated context file.

Bonsai on GitHub

Commands

• Bonsai Context Manager: Generate creates and opens the context file.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Generate for Request asks what to focus on, then keeps matching modules at higher detail.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Generate Changed creates and opens context from the local incremental cache.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Generate and Ask creates context, then opens chat with instructions to read it.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Preview Project Map shows paths, compression levels, token counts, and savings.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Add Agent Instructions adds an AGENTS.md section telling agents to read all generated context files.
• Bonsai Context Manager: Create Project Config creates and opens .bonsai.toml.
• Bonsai Context Manager: More Actions opens the secondary menu with Open Last Context.

Settings

The main settings control the internal generator: maxTokens, level, outputFile, and outputFormat. Include/exclude patterns and Git-ignore behavior control which workspace files are scanned.

The extension supports XML and JSON output. The extension handles scanning, compression, and token budgeting itself.

The VSIX bundles the real cl100k_base tokenizer used by the Rust CLI default, so token counts and token budgets use the same tokenizer in both cases.

Project config

Put a .bonsai.toml file at the repository root to keep settings with the project. The extension reads max_tokens, level, format, output_file, include, exclude, and respect_gitignore from it.

max_tokens = 12000
level = 1
format = "xml"
output_file = "bonsai.xml"
include = ["src/**", "Cargo.toml"]
exclude = ["**/generated/**"]
respect_gitignore = true

Project settings override the VS Code defaults. Level 1 keeps more source; level 2 keeps signatures and shapes; level 3 keeps a compact tree map.

Agent tool

In VS Code 1.99 or newer, agent mode can use #bonsai_generate_context to generate or refresh context automatically. Pass the user's repository question or task as request. Bonsai derives likely files from the request, code symbols, imports, callers, and nearby tests. The agent can optionally pass filePriorities: level 1 for primary code, level 2 for supporting files, and level 3 for compact background context. Planned paths are validated, but Bonsai also protects request-derived files so a weak plan cannot hide them. Level 1 drops comments by default; set includeComments only when comments matter. The tool writes the context files, returns their paths, and gives the agent the first context file contents. It asks for confirmation before writing files.

If the agent does not call it automatically, enable Generate Bonsai Context under Agent Select Tools, or reference #bonsai_generate_context in the chat prompt.

To allow the tool, open Copilot Chat in Agent mode, click Select Tools, and turn on Generate Bonsai Context. You can also type #bonsai_generate_context in the chat prompt. VS Code asks for confirmation before the tool writes context files.

Install the VSIX:

code --install-extension copilot/bonsai-vscode/bonsai-vscode-*.vsix

Run Command Palette:

Bonsai Context Manager: Generate

The status bar shows extension version and internal engine health after activation. After each run it also shows token count and file count. Hover it to see the output path.

On some machines, code points to Cursor. Use the full VS Code path when you want Visual Studio Code:

"/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/bin/code" --install-extension copilot/bonsai-vscode/bonsai-vscode-*.vsix