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Clipboard Guardian
A VSCode extension that protects code integrity by blocking external clipboard operations while preserving normal copy/paste functionality within the editor.
🛡️ What it does
Blocks external pastes : Prevents pasting content from browsers, AI tools, or other applications into VSCode
Prevents code leakage : Stops copying VSCode content to external clipboard (optional)
Preserves internal operations : Copy/paste between files and within VSCode works normally
Configurable protection : Enable/disable features as needed
🎓 Educational Use Cases
Perfect for academic environments where code integrity matters:
Prevent AI assistance : Blocks students from pasting code generated by ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot web, or other AI tools
Exam integrity : Ensures coding assessments reflect genuine student knowledge
Assignment authenticity : Prevents copy-pasting solutions from online sources
Learning reinforcement : Encourages students to type code manually, improving retention
Academic honesty : Supports institutional policies against unauthorized code assistance
💼 Additional Use Cases
Security-sensitive environments : Prevent accidental code leaks
Corporate compliance : Meet data loss prevention requirements
Focus enhancement : Avoid external distractions while coding
Code protection : Keep proprietary code within the development environment
🚀 Installation
Download the latest clipboard-guardian-x.x.x.vsix
file
Install via command line:
code --install-extension clipboard-guardian-1.0.0.vsix
Restart VSCode
The extension activates automatically
⚙️ Configuration
Access settings via File > Preferences > Settings
and search for "Clipboard Guardian":
🔒 How it works
When you try to:
Paste from external source : Shows warning message and blocks the operation
Copy to external clipboard : Optionally blocks and shows notification
Copy/paste within VSCode : Works normally without interference
🔧 Troubleshooting
Extension not working?
Check that it's enabled in Extensions panel
Verify settings are configured correctly
Restart VSCode after installation
Internal copy/paste not working?
Disable and re-enable the extension
Check VSCode version compatibility (requires v1.80.0+)
📝 License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details
🤝 Contributing
Issues and pull requests welcome on GitHub.