A VSCode extension for quickly copying code citations (file path + line range).
Select code, copy its citation in one click:
src/index.js:21-30
Paste it into an issue, a PR comment, your docs, or send it directly to AI tools like Codex / OpenCode to pinpoint a code location.
Features
Copy the citation for the current selection: src/index.js:21-30
Single-line selections copy only src/index.js:21
With no selection, the line under the cursor is cited
Multiple selections are output one per line (configurable to join with commas)
CodeLens buttons appear above the selection: Copy Reference / Copy Reference and Snippet; clicking copies all selections
Context menu: Copy Code Path (path + line range) and Copy File Path (path only), also available from the command palette
Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+Alt+C copies the code path / Ctrl+Alt+F copies the file path (macOS: Cmd+Alt+C / Cmd+Alt+F)
Configurable: path format (relative/absolute), include columns, join multiple selections, CodeLens toggle
Installation
Search for CiteCode in the VSCode extension panel (Ctrl+Shift+X) and click Install; or click Install on the Visual Studio Marketplace page.
For local development: run npm run build && npx vsce package in the project directory, then use "Install from VSIX..." to install the generated cite-code-x.y.z.vsix (see Development below).
Requirements
Visual Studio Code 1.85 or later
Usage
Method 1: CodeLens buttons (recommended)
Select code; two buttons appear above the first line of the selection
Click Copy Reference to copy src/index.js:21-30
Click Copy Reference and Snippet to copy the citation plus the code snippet
Method 2: Context menu / command palette
Place the cursor on the target code (with a selection, the selection is cited; without one, the line under the cursor is cited)
Right-click → Copy Code Path (relative path + line range); choose Copy File Path to copy only the file path without line numbers. Or use the shortcuts Ctrl+Alt+C / Ctrl+Alt+F (macOS: Cmd+Alt+C / Cmd+Alt+F, customizable in keybindings.json), or run the commands from the command palette
Paste the citation into an issue, a PR comment, or your docs, for example:
The problem is in src/index.js:21-30
The same format also works with AI tools: paste it into Codex / OpenCode and they can pinpoint the exact code location.
Configuration
Setting
Default
Description
citeCode.pathFormat
relative
Path format for all copy entry points (context menu, shortcuts, CodeLens, command palette): relative (e.g. src/index.js) or absolute (e.g. /home/user/project/src/index.js); applies to both code paths and file paths
citeCode.includeColumns
false
When true, citations include start and end columns (e.g. src/index.js:21:10-30:17)
citeCode.joinMultipleSelections
false
When true, multiple selections are joined with commas on one line (e.g. src/index.js:58-64, 80-85); default is one line per selection
citeCode.showCodeLens
true
When false, hides the CodeLens buttons (the context menu still works)
Development
npm run typecheck – TypeScript type checking
npm run build / npm run watch – esbuild bundling
npm run unit-test – unit tests for pure logic (no editor needed)
npm run integration-test – integration tests in a real VSCode instance
Press F5 in VSCode – launch the Extension Development Host for debugging
