Too Many Cooks — VSCode Extension
Real-time dashboard for monitoring and managing multi-agent coordination.
See which AI agents are active, what files are locked,
and what messages are being exchanged — all from your editor.
Get Started
Documentation
Start the Server
From VS Code: click TMC: Disconnected in the status bar, pick Start Local Server. The extension ships the server; no Node.js needed.
Or from a terminal:
npm install -g too-many-cooks && too-many-cooks
It listens on http://localhost:4040 (TMC_PORT changes it). Already running? Run Too Many Cooks: Connect to MCP Server.
The extension is optional. Agents only talk to the server; the extension is your window onto it.
Connect Your AI Agents
Each agent connects to the MCP server via Streamable HTTP. Start the server first, then point your agent at it.
Claude Code
claude mcp add \
--transport http \
too-many-cooks \
http://localhost:4040/mcp
|
Cursor
.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"too-many-cooks": {
"url": "http://localhost:4040/mcp"
}
}
}
|
Cline
Add via Cline MCP Settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"too-many-cooks": {
"url": "http://localhost:4040/mcp"
}
}
}
|
Codex & pi
codex mcp add too-many-cooks \
--url http://localhost:4040/mcp
pi mcp add too-many-cooks \
--url http://localhost:4040/mcp
|
Install the Extension
Install from a .vsix file or the VSCode marketplace. The extension auto-connects to the server on port 4040.
If the server runs on a non-default port:
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
tooManyCooks.port |
4040 |
MCP server port |
{
"tooManyCooks.port": 5050
}
Features
Agents Tree View
See which agents are online and active in the sidebar.
|
|
File Locks Tree View
See which files are locked and by whom. Expired locks are highlighted.
|
|
Messages Panel
Read inter-agent messages in real-time as they arrive.
|
|
Plans Panel
See what each agent is working on, their goals and current tasks.
|
|
Admin Commands
Force-release locks, delete agents, reset keys, send messages from the command palette.
|
|
Real-Time Updates
State changes arrive via MCP Streamable HTTP push. No polling.
|
How It Works
- Communicates with the TMC server via
/admin/* REST endpoints
- Receives real-time state changes via MCP Streamable HTTP push (no polling)
- Does not access the database directly
Build & Test
# Build the VSIX
bash scripts/vsix.sh build
# Install from source
bash scripts/vsix.sh install
# Run tests
npm test
# Run pure logic tests with coverage
npm run test:coverage
