Pixis

Pixis is an AI coding agent that works inside Visual Studio Code. It can explore a repository, explain code, propose and apply changes, run commands with your permission, use specialised skills and connect to local or remote MCP tools.

The OpenCode-based engine is bundled with the extension. You do not need to install OpenCode, start a separate server or run opencode auth login.

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.125.0 or newer.
• An OpenRouter API key.
• A supported desktop platform:
  • macOS Apple Silicon (darwin-arm64);
  • Windows 64-bit Intel/AMD (win32-x64).

Cursor can install the corresponding platform VSIX when its VS Code compatibility level meets the requirement.

Linux, macOS Intel, Windows ARM64, Windows 32-bit and browser-hosted VS Code are not included in this release.

Setup

1. Install Pixis from the Marketplace.
2. Open a project folder in VS Code.
3. Select the Pixis icon in the Activity Bar.
4. Open Pixis Settings.
5. Select Provider.
6. Enter an OpenRouter API key and select Save key.
7. Return to the Pixis chat and send a request.

The key is stored using VS Code SecretStorage. Pixis does not show it again or include it in copied diagnostics.

The default model for this release is:

openrouter/anthropic/claude-opus-5

The model can be changed through the pixis.model VS Code setting. Restart the Pixis engine after changing it.

Using Pixis

Ask Pixis for an outcome in ordinary language:

Explain how authentication is wired in this repository. Do not modify files.

Fix the registration validation bug and run the relevant tests.

Press Enter to send and Shift+Enter for a new line.

Responses stream into the conversation as they are generated. Agent operations appear in a compact Working section where commands, file reads, edits, results and failures can be inspected individually.

Build and Plan modes

Use the mode selector in the composer:

• Build investigates, edits files, runs commands and verifies changes.
• Plan investigates and produces a plan without using the edit or write tools.

Supported edit and write operations may open a native proposed diff before permission is requested. Shell and MCP operations show their command or input instead; a proposed diff is not guaranteed for those tools.

Permissions

Side-effecting operations are controlled by permission prompts:

• Allow permits this occurrence.
• Always stores a matching permission rule for future operations.
• Deny rejects the operation and stops the affected execution path.

Permission-requiring calls are presented sequentially. Denied operations are not retried through another tool.

Use Always carefully because saved permission rules persist across sessions.

Agents

Type @ at the start of the composer or open Pixis Settings → Agents.

• General performs one focused execution turn for a defined task, then returns control to the normal conversation.
• Explore searches and explains the codebase without modifying files.

The selected agent appears as a composer chip and applies to the next message.

Skills

Type /, select Skills, then choose a skill. Skills can also be selected from Pixis Settings → Skills.

Bundled skills:

• commit — generate a Conventional Commits message from the current diff.
• pixis-proof — explain what a Pixis proof card verifies.
• project-pdf — generate a PDF overview of the current project.
• site-redesign-ui-ux — design, audit or implement production-ready web interfaces.

Add the task beside the selected skill chip before sending. Valid project and global OpenCode skills can also appear in the catalog.

Slash commands

Type / at the beginning of the composer:

• /skills opens the skill list.
• /mcps opens MCP settings.
• /init runs guided AGENTS.md setup.
• Safe configured commands may also appear.

Commands that contain embedded shell execution or unsupported background-task behaviour are disabled with an explanation rather than run without the expected safeguards.

File and image attachments

Use the paperclip button to attach supported files.

Images:

• PNG
• JPEG
• GIF
• WebP

Text and code attachments include common source, configuration, markup and data formats such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust, Java, C/C++, Markdown, JSON, YAML, TOML, XML, HTML, CSS, SQL and shell scripts.

Each selected file may be up to 20 MB. Text sent to the model is bounded to 50 KB, 2,000 lines and 2,000 characters per line. Pixis clearly marks truncated content and rejects unsupported binary formats.

MCP servers

Open Pixis Settings → MCP or use /mcps.

Pixis supports:

• local command-based MCP servers;
• remote URL-based MCP servers;
• project or global configuration scope;
• local environment variables;
• remote request headers;
• configurable timeouts;
• remote OAuth sign-in and sign-out;
• connect, disconnect and permanent removal.

After a server reports connected, ask Pixis to use it:

Use the ms-learn MCP server to search Microsoft documentation for TypeScript configuration.

MCP tools, server instructions, resources and resource templates are integrated into the agent's available context.

Do not commit secrets in project MCP configuration. Prefer environment variables or OAuth where available.

Sessions and history

Pixis stores conversation history through its bundled engine. Use the session drawer to:

• return to earlier conversations;
• see running sessions;
• start a new session;
• switch between sessions;
• remove a session where supported.

Todo lists remain attached to the assistant message that created them. Completed tool groups collapse automatically, while failures stay visible.

Copying content

Copy buttons are available for:

• complete assistant responses;
• user messages;
• command and tool details;
• expanded tool output and errors.

Settings

Pixis Settings opens in a wide editor view with pages for:

• Provider
• MCP
• Agents
• Skills

The layout is designed to accommodate additional capabilities in later releases.

Troubleshooting

Pixis asks for an API key

Open Pixis Settings → Provider, enter a valid OpenRouter key and restart the engine if requested.

The engine does not become ready

Run Pixis: Restart Engine from the Command Palette. If the problem continues, run Pixis: Copy Engine Diagnostics and include the result in a support request.

Skills or agents are missing

Reload the VS Code window, restart the Pixis engine and reopen the project folder. Confirm the installed Pixis version is current.

Windows reports that Pixis is unavailable

Confirm VS Code is version 1.125.0 or newer and reports x64. This release does not include Windows ARM64.

A newly published update is not installed

Reload VS Code and run Extensions: Check for Extension Updates. If a local VSIX with the same version was previously installed, uninstall Pixis before reinstalling the Marketplace release.

Privacy and security

• The OpenRouter key is stored in VS Code SecretStorage.
• The bundled engine listens only on localhost and uses generated authentication.
• The webview cannot access the filesystem or engine directly.
• Model prompts, selected file content and tool results may be sent to OpenRouter and the selected model provider.
• MCP tool input is sent to the MCP server selected for that operation.
• Pixis does not display an estimated price meter when the engine cannot provide reliable billing data.

Review your organisation's source-code, model-provider and MCP data policies before using Pixis with confidential material.

Support

Use the support channel supplied by the Pixis project owner or your organisation's deployment administrator. Include the Pixis version, editor version, operating system, exact error and Pixis: Copy Engine Diagnostics output. Never include credentials or private source code.

Release notes

Release history is available in the Marketplace Version History section and in the CHANGELOG.md included with the extension.