Pi Agent for VS Code

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A VS Code sidebar for the local pi coding agent — a Claude Code / Codex-style chat UI that runs entirely on your own pi: your models, your credentials, your sessions.

⚠️ Pi Agent is a front-end. It launches the pi CLI installed on your machine, which can read/write workspace files and run shell commands. It activates only in trusted workspaces. Use at your own discretion.

Install

Download the VSIX

• Latest release: https://github.com/iihao/pi-agent-vscode/releases/latest
• Direct download: pi-agent-vscode.vsix

Then install it either way:

• VS Code: Extensions → ⋯ (More Actions) → Install from VSIX…
• CLI:

  code --install-extension pi-agent-vscode.vsix
  

Marketplace publishing is planned. Until then, use the VSIX above.

Prerequisites

1. Install the pi CLI:

   npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent
   

2. Run pi once to log in and pick a model.
3. Open a trusted folder in VS Code, then click the Pi icon in the Activity Bar.

The extension stores no API keys — it reuses your existing ~/.pi configuration (models, sessions, skills).

Architecture

VS Code extension (this repo)
    │  RpcClient (@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent)
    ▼
pi --mode rpc  (local agent harness)
    │  tools: read / bash / edit / write
    ▼
your project files

• The extension is the front-end: chat UI, streaming output, tool activity.
• pi is the engine: file access, commands, multi-step tasks, models and credentials all come from your pi setup.

Project layout

src/                  Extension host (TypeScript, tsc -> out/)
  extension.ts        Activation, commands
  chatPanel.ts        Webview <-> pi bridge, sessions, events
  sdk/                pi RPC client lifecycle, session manager, types
  utils/              formatters, logger
  views/              webview HTML shell + localized UI strings
webview/              Webview source (main.js + styles.css)
media/                Webview build output (esbuild, gitignored)
l10n/                 Runtime localization bundles (bundle.l10n.*.json)
package.nls.*.json    Manifest localization
esbuild.webview.mjs   Webview build script

Features

• 💬 Chat panel — streaming output, thinking display, live tool activity.
• 📝 Markdown — headings, lists, tables, links; code blocks with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and Apply / Copy.
• 📐 Math & diagrams — KaTeX formulas and Mermaid diagrams (lazy-loaded).
• 🔎 Tool results — command output streams in; edits render as colored diffs.
• 🗂️ Sessions — new / switch / rename; switching restores history.
• 🎚️ Model & thinking level — pick both from the composer.
• 🛡️ Permission modes — Manual / Auto / Read-only (--exclude-tools bash,edit,write).
• 📎 Editor context — attach the current file or selection to your prompt.
• 📊 Context indicator — context-window usage in the header.
• ✅ Confirmations — native dialogs when pi asks for approval.
• 🔔 Notifications — completion notice when the window is unfocused.
• 🩺 Diagnostics export and a pi-agent.* settings namespace.
• 🌐 Localized — English / Simplified Chinese, following the VS Code display language.

Usage

Settings (pi-agent.*)

Changing pi.executable, pi.arguments or agent.permissionMode restarts the session automatically (or run Pi: Restart Session).

Development

npm ci
npm run compile      # tsc (extension host) + esbuild (webview)
# press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host

npm run watch          # tsc --watch
npm run watch:webview  # esbuild --watch
npm run lint
npm test               # vitest

See CONTRIBUTING.md for details, and RELEASING.md for the release process.

Contributing

• CONTRIBUTING.md
• CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
• SECURITY.md — report vulnerabilities privately
• CHANGELOG.md
• THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md

License

MIT © Pi Agent contributors