Idea Builder VSCode Extension

Idea Builder turns VSCode into a control panel for building software with Claude Code. Its one-click buttons launch, isolate, and resume Claude Code sessions right inside the editor — and it runs an issue board that spawns a Claude Code session for every issue you move to todo. It works fully offline by default, and can optionally sync the board with Linear.

Licensing

Idea Builder is a paid extension. On a fresh install it is locked — the sidebar shows an Enter License Key button and a $(lock) Activate Idea Builder item in the status bar. Paste the license key from your Dodo Payments purchase email (Command Palette → Idea Builder: Enter License Key, or click the status-bar item) to unlock it.

• Activation binds the key to this machine. The proof is cached encrypted in VS Code SecretStorage and re-checked with Dodo at most once a week, with a long offline grace window — so once activated you can work offline.
• Manage or move a license with Idea Builder: Manage License (replace the key, or remove it from this machine to free an activation for another device).
• Dodo's activate/validate endpoints are public, so no secret/API key ships in the extension — only the public Dodo API base URL.

The shipped bundle is obfuscated as a deterrent, but it is JavaScript on disk and therefore not tamper-proof. The license gate is designed to stop casual copying and cross-machine key-sharing, not to be unbreakable DRM.

Develop with Claude Code — one click

The heart of the extension is a set of launcher buttons that drive the Claude Code CLI for you, no terminal commands to memorize. They live in the Idea Builder view in the activity bar, with a terminal toggle pinned to the status bar:

Because every session opens as an editor tab, you can run several Claude Code agents side by side — one per worktree — and arrange them like panes.

The issue board

Idea Builder shows an issue board in the sidebar and can launch a Claude session per issue automatically. It runs in one of two modes, chosen per-workspace:

• Local (default, offline): issues live in a plain JSON file in the workspace, .idea-builder/issues.json. No account, no network. The Claude agent reads and writes this same file directly (the generated CLAUDE.md documents the format), so the board, you, and the agent all share one source of truth.
• Linear (optional): issues live in Linear, in a Team/Project you pick. The board mirrors Linear, and agents manage issues through Linear's own MCP server. Linear is authoritative; the local file becomes a read-only cache.

When Start Polling is on, any issue assigned to agent that enters the todo state launches a Claude Code session in an isolated worktree. When the agent finishes, it moves the issue to in review for a human to mark done (which closes the session).

Getting started (offline)

1. Open a project folder in VSCode.
2. Initialize → the extension writes a .project_idea marker and opens Claude, which first asks you about your idea, then scaffolds the project (framework, CLAUDE.md, README, and the initial issues).
3. Start Polling → issues moved to todo spin up Claude sessions.

Each workspace is one idea — there is no cross-project idea list. The .project_idea marker is the idea's only home, holding its id and details:

{ "ideaId": "<idea id>", "title": "<name>", "description": "<one-liner>" }

Syncing with Linear

1. Connect Linear → a browser tab opens for OAuth consent (Authorization Code + PKCE). Approve, then pick a Team and a Project.
2. The board now reflects that Linear project. Create/move issues here or in Linear's own app — Linear wins on conflict.
3. Add Linear MCP → registers Linear's MCP with the Claude CLI (claude mcp add --transport http linear https://mcp.linear.app/mcp) so agents manage issues directly in Linear. Run /mcp in a Claude session the first time to authorize it.

Switch back anytime with Use Local; disconnect entirely with Disconnect Linear.

How issues map to Linear (labels)

An issue's status maps to a Linear workflow state (backlog / unstarted / started / "In Review" / completed / canceled). Its type, mode, and assigned_to fields are stored as labels — but only the non-default value of each field carries a label. The default value carries no label, which keeps a typical feature / agent issue label-free.

Using the labels correctly:

• Set a field from Linear's app by adding or removing the matching label. Add Bug to make an issue a bug; remove it to make it a feature. Add Human to take an issue off the agents; remove it to hand it back. Add mode:plan (or mode:auto) to override the run mode.
• The extension creates the labels it needs. Human and mode:* are created on first use; Bug is Linear's built-in label. You don't have to pre-create any of them.
• mode: labels are relative to your default. Because the unlabeled mode is ideaBuilder.defaultMode, changing that setting flips which issues need a mode: label. If you want every issue's mode to be explicit in Linear, that's expected — the extension writes a mode: label only when it has to.
• Don't hand-edit a mode: label to a value other than auto or plan — an unrecognized mode: label is ignored and the issue falls back to your default.
• Legacy labels still work. Older paired labels (type:bug, type:feature, assignee:agent, assignee:human) are still read correctly and are cleaned up automatically the next time you edit the issue from the extension.
• Other labels are left alone. Any labels you add for your own organization are preserved on every edit; the extension only manages the ones above.

Settings

Mode and the Linear Team/Project mapping are stored per-workspace and set via the Connect Linear / Use Local commands, not settings.

Commands

Development

cd vscode-extension
npm install
LINEAR_CLIENT_ID=<your-linear-oauth-client-id> npm run build   # bundles to dist/extension.cjs
npm run typecheck                                               # tsc --noEmit

Build-time vars (LINEAR_CLIENT_ID, LINEAR_MCP_URL, DODO_BASE_URL) can be set inline or kept in a gitignored vscode-extension/.env — copy .env.example to .env and fill it in. Inline env vars still override the file.

LINEAR_CLIENT_ID is the client id of a registered Linear OAuth application; register the loopback redirect URIs http://127.0.0.1:54322/callback …54325/callback. Without it the offline board works fully, but Connect Linear will report that the client id is missing. Press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host.

Dev builds (npm run build / watch / F5) are not obfuscated and target Dodo's test environment (https://test.dodopayments.com) automatically; production builds (npm run build:prod, and thus package-and-install.ps1) are obfuscated and target live (https://live.dodopayments.com). Override either with the DODO_BASE_URL env var. The chosen Dodo base is printed in the esbuild build log.

Selling it — Dodo Payments setup (one-time)

1. In the Dodo dashboard, create the product for the extension and enable License Keys, setting the activations-per-key limit (e.g. 2 machines).
2. That's all the extension needs — the activate/validate/deactivate endpoints are public, so there is no API key to embed. The build only needs the API base URL, which defaults to https://live.dodopayments.com.
3. Sell the product via a Dodo checkout/payment link; buyers receive a license key by email and paste it into Enter License Key.

Caveats

• The OAuth callback binds one of ports 54322–54325 on 127.0.0.1. If all four are in use, Connect Linear fails — free one and retry.
• claude must be on PATH (or set ideaBuilder.claudeCommand).
• In Linear mode, a team needs the usual workflow states (backlog / unstarted / started / completed / canceled); an "In Review" state is used when present, otherwise the started state is reused.