AI Relay for VS Code

Claude, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot as coding agents over your project — one chat panel, your own accounts, pick the agent from a dropdown.

The agents read, search, edit and run commands across the whole workspace; every tool call streams into the transcript, and you choose whether each one asks first, whether file edits are applied silently, or whether everything just runs.

Setup

1. Have Java 21 or newer, or install the airelay command. The extension bundles the CLI and runs it on a Java it finds (JAVA_HOME, the system's JDKs, PATH); with no Java, install the command — the extension is a front-end for it and needs it on your machine. No Java required; see Install: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Chelayel/ai-relay/main/packaging/install.sh | sh on macOS/Linux, irm …/install.ps1 | iex on Windows, or an installer from the releases page. If it isn't on your PATH, set airelay.path.
2. Claude needs nothing more. For Gemini, Copilot or web search, run AI Relay: Set Up an Agent (command palette, or the ⚙ button in the panel): pick the connection, answer a few input boxes — keys are masked — and it is saved to ~/.airelay/config.properties, readable only by you and shared with the command line and the IntelliJ plugin. Copilot's default is browser mode: a Chrome/Edge tab opens on the first turn and you sign in there.
3. Open the AI Relay view in the activity bar.

Using it

• Enter sends, Shift+Enter adds a line, Esc stops a running turn.
• The + button beside the message box attaches files or folders (they go in as paths the agent reads on demand), lists the skills found (SKILL.md files in .claude/skills, .gemini/skills or .airelay/skills in the project, or ~/.claude/skills) to attach one to the next message, opens the MCP config the CLI reads — creating an empty one if there is none — and reaches the agent settings.
• In the message box, / offers the commands (/model, /mode, /skill, /agent, /resume, /revert, /add-dir), @ picks a file from the workspace, # a skill. A message sent while the agent is busy is queued and goes out when the turn ends; an unsent draft survives a reload. Up in an empty box recalls the last message; Cmd/Ctrl+K opens the + menu.
• Runs of tool calls fold into one expandable line. A path in a tool row or a diff header opens the file at that line. Code fences have Copy, and Apply when the text names a file. A permission prompt shows the command or the edit it is asking about.
• The header is a coloured agent switch with a health dot; hover the meter for this turn's cost against the session's. The history list has a search box over titles and transcripts. An agent that is not set up shows a setup card instead of an error.
• Every edit the agent makes shows as a diff with a Revert button. The mode dropdown changes how tools run without losing the conversation.
• The ⟲ button lists earlier conversations in this folder; pick one to replay it and, for Claude and Gemini, carry on. The header also has a model picker, and for Claude a context and cost meter.
• The + menu also lists agent personas (.md files in .claude/agents) to adopt for the rest of the conversation.
• Drop files onto the panel, or paste an image into the message box: an image is sent as a picture (Gemini and Claude; Copilot says it cannot take one), a text file goes in with its contents, and a file dragged from the project tree is attached by path.
• The chip under the message box shows the current file, or the selected lines when there is a selection, and follows the editor as you move around. It is attached to the next message; click it to leave it out.
• The permission bar appears when the agent wants to run something in ask mode; Allow runs it once, Always for the rest of the conversation.
• New starts a fresh conversation; switching agent or permission mode does too.

Settings

Independent and unofficial — not affiliated with Anthropic, Google or Microsoft. Source and issues: github.com/Chelayel/ai-relay.