VSCode Visual License Picker Extension

A simple visual license picker for VS Code. Browse popular open-source licenses, compare their permissions and limitations, and add one to your project in seconds.

Features

• Opening a LICENSE file uses a visual custom editor instead of plain text.
• GitHub-inspired 3-column license picker.
• License metadata and full text are loaded from the GitHub Licenses API.
• Shows permissions, conditions, limitations, and the full license text.
• Fills [year] and [fullname] placeholders before writing.
• Changes are written through VS Code's text document API, so save/undo behave normally.
• License Picker: Create LICENSE File creates a new LICENSE in the workspace root.
• Open as Text lets you switch back to VS Code's normal text editor at any time.

Run locally

1. Open this folder in VS Code.
2. Press F5 to start an Extension Development Host.
3. Create/open a file named LICENSE.

Package

npm run package

Notes

• An internet connection is required the first time licenses are loaded.
• Results are cached locally for 24 hours so the picker still works offline after the first successful load.