DeepSeek Chat for Visual Studio
Chat with DeepSeek without leaving Visual Studio.
DeepSeek Chat for Visual Studio brings the DeepSeek model into the IDE with multi-tab conversations, file context, project documentation (Memory Bank), reusable project rules, reversible anonymization, and a multi-language interface.
This is an independent, community-built extension. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by DeepSeek.
Highlights
- Multi-tab chat — up to 10 independent conversations.
- Markdown responses — headings, code blocks and a copy button.
- File context — mention a file path and choose whether to include its contents.
- Persistent history — conversations are restored when you reopen Visual Studio.
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash —
deepseek-flash, multimodal with native vision.
- Memory Bank — generate project documentation and inject it as background context.
- Project rules — Markdown instructions stored in
.deepseek/rules/ and followed in every conversation.
- Reversible anonymization — replace sensitive keywords with
ANON_… markers before sending, restore them in responses, and block sends if a keyword leaks.
- Audit log — optional JSONL record of what was sent to the DeepSeek API.
- Interface languages — Portuguese (Brazil), English, Spanish and user-created languages.
Requirements
- Visual Studio 2022 (17.0) or newer
- .NET Framework 4.8
- A valid DeepSeek API key
Getting started
- Install the extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
- Open View → Other Windows → DeepSeek Chat.
- Click the gear button, paste your API key and click Save.
- Start chatting.
Your API key is stored locally in the Windows registry at HKCU\Software\DeepSeekChat.
Memory Bank
Generate product.md, structure.md, tech.md and guidelines.md under .deepseek/memory-bank/ and inject them as background context in every chat request. Project excerpts are sent to the DeepSeek API only after confirmation on the first generation per solution. Secret files are excluded and secret patterns are redacted.
Project rules
Store reusable Markdown instructions in .deepseek/rules/. They are included in every chat request before the Memory Bank and can be versioned with your team.
Reversible anonymization
Replace the terms you choose with ANON_… markers before text leaves for the API, then restore the real names in the response. The pre-send check is fail-closed: if a keyword remains, the send is blocked.
- Configure keywords in Settings → Anonymize data sent to the AI.
- Use the How it works button for the full explanation and list syntax.
- The optional audit log records the exact body sent, already anonymized, in
%LocalAppData%\DeepSeekChat\audit\.
Limits: attached images are not anonymized; agent tools (http_request, run_command, execute_sql) are not anonymized and can send real data to other destinations when you approve them; anything not in the keyword list is not protected.
Interface languages
Choose Português (Brasil), English or Español in Settings → Interface language. The last selection is restored on the next launch. You can also create your own language by editing a JSON file in %LocalAppData%\DeepSeekChat\i18n\ and clicking Reload languages.
Privacy and security
- No telemetry is sent by the extension.
- The API key is stored locally in the Windows registry.
- Messages, mentioned file contents and Memory Bank excerpts are sent to the DeepSeek API only when you send a message or explicitly generate the Memory Bank.
- Attached images are sent to the API when you send them and are not anonymized.
- History is stored locally in
%APPDATA%\DeepSeekChat\history.json and keeps the original text.
- Audit logs are stored locally and never include the API key, the keyword list or the marker → name map.
Support
Use the Q&A section on this Marketplace page for questions and bug reports.
License
MIT.
Icon: DeepSeek logo from Simple Icons (CC0 1.0). The DeepSeek trademark belongs to DeepSeek.
