Claude Helper

VS Code extension with HTTP API to help Claude Code interact with VS Code - compare git refs, set terminal titles, and send notifications.

Installation

Install the VS Code extension:

code --install-extension claude-helper

Or install from the VS Code Marketplace

Requirements

• VS Code with a workspace folder open
• GitLens extension (for git comparison features)

Usage

The extension automatically finds an available port (starting from 3456) when VS Code starts. When using "Claude Helper: Open Claude Terminal", the $CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT environment variable contains the port number. Send commands via HTTP POST requests:

Available Commands

Send Notifications

# Show a notification with custom message
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command":"ping","args":["Build completed successfully"]}'

# Include terminal title in notification
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{\"command\":\"ping\",\"args\":[\"Task done in $CLAUDE_HELPER_CURRENT_TERMINAL_TITLE\"]}"

Set Terminal Title

# In a Claude Helper terminal (with $CLAUDE_HELPER_CURRENT_TERMINAL_TITLE)
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{\"command\":\"setTerminalTitle\",\"args\":[\"Building Project\",\"$CLAUDE_HELPER_CURRENT_TERMINAL_TITLE\"]}"

# Or rename the active terminal (fallback)
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command":"setTerminalTitle","args":["Building Project"]}'

Tip: When using "Claude Helper: Open Claude Terminal", the terminal automatically exports:

• $CLAUDE_HELPER_CURRENT_TERMINAL_TITLE - The terminal's unique title for precise targeting
• $CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT - The HTTP port number for sending commands

Compare Git References

# Compare two branches/commits
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command":"compareReferences","args":["main","HEAD"]}'

# Compare HEAD with another ref
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command":"compareHead","args":["origin/main"]}'

Clear Comparisons

# Clear all GitLens comparisons
curl -X POST http://localhost:$CLAUDE_HELPER_PORT \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command":"clearComparisons","args":[]}'

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Working

1. Ensure VS Code is open with a workspace folder
2. Check extension is installed: code --list-extensions | grep claude-helper
3. View logs in VS Code: Ctrl+Shift+P → Claude Helper: Show Logs

Documentation

• Development Guide - For contributors
• Publishing - Release process

License

MIT

Contributing

Contributions welcome! See Development Guide for setup instructions.