GitPilot for VS Code
Not a chatbot. A team of AI agents that code together.
Most AI coding tools are a single model guessing at your codebase. GitPilot is different: four specialized agents collaborate on every task — one explores your repo, one plans safe changes, one writes the code and runs your tests, and one reviews the result. You approve every step.
Open source · Multi-agent · Any LLM · Free with Ollama · Enterprise-ready
How is this different from Copilot, Cursor, or Cody?
|
Single-model tools |
GitPilot |
| Architecture |
One model, one prompt |
4 specialized agents working as a team |
| Context |
Reads the open file |
Explores your full repo, git history, tests |
| Safety |
Suggests code inline |
Plans first, shows diffs, waits for approval |
| Testing |
You run tests manually |
Runs your test suite and self-corrects on failure |
| Lock-in |
One vendor |
Any LLM: OpenAI, Claude, Ollama, Watsonx, OllaBridge |
| Privacy |
Cloud-only |
Fully local with Ollama — nothing leaves your machine |
| Source |
Proprietary |
Apache 2.0 open source — fork it, audit it, extend it |
Quick Start
pip install gitcopilot # install the backend (one-time)
gitpilot serve # start the AI server locally
Then in VS Code:
- Install "GitPilot" from the Extensions Marketplace
- Click the GitPilot icon in the sidebar
- Choose your AI provider (Ollama is free and local — no API key needed)
- Ask anything: "Explain this project", "Fix the bug in login.ts", "Write tests for auth"
That's it. No account required. No data leaves your machine unless you choose a cloud provider.
Requirements: Python 3.11 or 3.12 · VS Code 1.110+ · The PyPI package is gitcopilot (the CLI command is gitpilot)
What Can GitPilot Do?
Chat
Type a question or request in the chat panel. GitPilot reads your project, creates a plan, and writes the code.
Try these:
- "Explain this project's architecture"
- "Review the current file for issues"
- "Add error handling to the API endpoints"
- "Write tests for the auth module"
Quick Actions
One-click buttons in the sidebar:
| Button |
What it does |
| Explain Project |
Summarizes your entire codebase |
| Review File |
Finds bugs and improvements in the open file |
| Fix Selection |
Fixes the selected code |
| Generate Tests |
Creates tests for the selected code |
| Security Scan |
Checks for vulnerabilities |
Code Intelligence
- CodeLens hints appear above functions: click "Explain" or "Review"
- Right-click menu on selected code: Explain, Review, Fix, Test
- Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P): search "GitPilot"
Git
- Smart Commit: generates commit messages from your changes
- Branch Manager: create, merge, compare branches
- Conflict Resolver: AI-assisted merge conflict resolution
Setup Your AI Provider
GitPilot works with any of these providers:
Free (no API key needed)
Ollama (local, private, fast):
1. Install Ollama: https://ollama.com
2. Run: ollama pull llama3
3. In GitPilot: click Provider > Ollama
OllaBridge (cloud, works out of the box):
1. In GitPilot: click Provider > OllaBridge
2. It connects automatically (no setup needed)
Paid (API key required)
OpenAI:
1. Get an API key from https://platform.openai.com
2. In GitPilot: click Provider > OpenAI
3. Paste your API key
Claude (Anthropic):
1. Get an API key from https://console.anthropic.com
2. In GitPilot: click Provider > Claude
3. Paste your API key
IBM Watsonx:
1. Get credentials from https://cloud.ibm.com
2. In GitPilot: click Provider > Watsonx
3. Add your API key and project ID
Settings
Open settings: Ctrl+Shift+P > "Preferences: Open Settings" > search "gitpilot"
| Setting |
Default |
What it does |
gitpilot.provider |
ollabridge |
Which AI to use |
gitpilot.codeLens.enabled |
true |
Show Explain/Review hints |
gitpilot.autoConnect |
true |
Connect to server on startup |
Troubleshooting
"Provider not configured"
Click the "Provider" button in the sidebar header and select your AI provider.
"Disconnected"
GitPilot needs a backend server running at http://127.0.0.1:8000.
Install and start it with:
pip install gitcopilot
gitpilot serve
The PyPI package is gitcopilot (the CLI is gitpilot). Requires Python 3.11 or 3.12.
"Version mismatch"
This VS Code extension (v0.2.x) requires GitPilot backend v0.2.x (gitcopilot>=0.2.6).
Upgrade both together: pip install --upgrade 'gitcopilot>=0.2.6'.
Extension not loading?
Open the Output panel (Ctrl+Shift+U) and select "GitPilot" from the dropdown to see logs.
Links
Made by Ruslan Magana Vsevolodovna | Apache 2.0 | v0.2.6
