OpenVSX Connect
The missing VS Code UI for your private extension marketplace.
Teams running a self-hosted OpenVSX registry — in air-gapped environments, enterprise networks, or internal developer platforms — can now browse, search, and install their own extensions directly from the VS Code Activity Bar, with the same experience as the public marketplace.
Works in local workspaces and remote environments (SSH, WSL, Dev Containers) — install private extensions directly onto the target machine without leaving VS Code.
No product.json patching. No admin rights. No command-line tools. Just point it at your registry URL and go.
Who Is This For?
OpenVSX Connect is designed for teams and organizations that:
- Host a private or internal VS Code extension marketplace using OpenVSX Server
- Operate in air-gapped or restricted network environments where the public VS Code Marketplace is unavailable
- Distribute proprietary or internal extensions to developers without manual VSIX installation
- Need to install private extensions on remote servers or WSL environments directly from VS Code
- Want a self-service portal inside VS Code so developers can discover and install approved extensions on demand
If your team publishes extensions to a self-hosted OpenVSX instance and wants developers to install them without leaving VS Code — locally or on a remote server — this extension is for you.
Local and Remote Support
OpenVSX Connect works correctly in all VS Code workspace environments:
| Environment |
Browse registry |
Install extensions |
Installed tab |
| Local workspace |
✅ |
✅ installs locally |
✅ shows local installs |
| Remote SSH |
✅ |
✅ installs on the remote server |
✅ shows that server's installs |
| WSL |
✅ |
✅ installs in WSL |
✅ shows WSL installs |
| Dev Container |
✅ |
✅ installs in container |
✅ shows container installs |
Each environment maintains its own independent installed extension list — installing an extension on one remote server does not affect other remote servers or your local workspace.
To use OpenVSX Connect on a remote server, install it in that remote window from the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X) → Install in SSH: <host>. The extension then runs on the remote host and all installs target that machine directly.
Features
- Briefcase icon in the Activity Bar opens the OpenVSX Connect panel
- Real-time search with debounced input across your registry
- All tab — paginated browse and search of every extension on your registry
- Installed tab — tracks extensions installed via OpenVSX Connect on the current machine, with icon, version, and enabled state
Extension Detail View
Click any extension to open a full detail panel:
- Icon, display name, publisher, description, and download count
- Version selector — switch between any published version
- Install / Uninstall buttons
- Update button when a newer version is available on the registry
- Enable / Disable toggle with fallback guidance
- Auto-update toggle — per-extension automatic update control
- Settings gear dropdown:
- Extension Settings — opens VS Code settings scoped to that extension
- Copy Extension ID — copies
publisher.name to clipboard
- Open Homepage / Report Issue (when provided by the publisher)
- Full README rendered inline
- Info sidebar: identifier, version, last updated, VS Code engine requirements, categories, tags, and homepage link
Getting Started
Prerequisites
- A running OpenVSX Server instance accessible from your machine
- VS Code
^1.85.0
Setup
- Install OpenVSX Connect from the VS Code Marketplace (or from your own registry).
- Open VS Code Settings (
Ctrl+,) and configure your registry URL:
openvsxConnect.registryUrl = https://openvsx.example.com
Alternatively, click the gear icon (⚙) in the OpenVSX Connect panel title bar and choose Set Registry URL.
- The Activity Bar panel will immediately populate with extensions from your registry.
- Use the Search bar to find extensions, click any result to view details, and hit Install.
Settings
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
openvsxConnect.registryUrl |
string |
"" |
Base URL of your self-hosted OpenVSX registry (no trailing slash) |
openvsxConnect.pageSize |
number |
20 |
Number of extensions loaded per page (5–100) |
openvsxConnect.verifyChecksum |
boolean |
true |
Verify SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded VSIX before installing |
openvsxConnect.autoUpdate |
boolean |
false |
Automatically update installed extensions when a newer version is available |
Security
- The registry URL is read exclusively from VS Code settings — no URLs are hardcoded in the extension.
- A warning is shown when a plain
http:// (non-TLS) URL is configured.
- SHA-256 checksums are verified against the registry metadata before installation (enabled by default, configurable).
- Downloaded VSIX files are written to the OS temp directory and deleted immediately after installation.
- All outbound network requests go only to the URL you configure — there are no undisclosed external connections.
Requirements
License
MIT — see LICENSE
