Pi is an open-source AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. Pi Dock docks it right inside the VS Code editor area -- one click to launch, zero context switches. Feed Pi your skills and templates from the Explorer or Command Palette, use Ctrl+G to compose prompts in a full editor tab, and never lose a session: Pi Dock automatically restores your sessions when VS Code restarts, so you pick up right where you left off.
Quick Start
Install the Pi CLI: npm install -g @mariozechner/pi-coding-agent
Click the Pi icon in the editor title bar -- a Pi session opens in your editor area.
Features
One-click launch -- Click the status bar or the editor title bar icon to open a fresh Pi session docked in the editor area. No new windows. No browser tabs. No terminal juggling.
Workspace resources -- Right-click files in the Explorer or use the Command Palette to launch Pi with your Skills, Templates, Extensions, or Prompts. Multi-select is supported.
Ctrl+G editor integration -- Focus a Pi session and press Ctrl+G to compose your prompt in a full VS Code editor tab. Save and close the tab to send it back to Pi. Your flow state, protected.
Session persistent -- Pi sessions restore automatically when VS Code restarts. Close your laptop, reboot, update VS Code -- your Pi sessions are waiting when you come back.
Configurable -- Set default CLI flags (--model openai/gpt-4o), choose your external editor command, and fine-tune terminal behavior through VS Code settings.
Resource type details
Each "Run Pi with..." command accepts specific file types:
Command
Accepted files
Pi CLI flag
Run Pi with Skill...
SKILL.md
--skill <parent-dir>
Run Pi with Template...
.md files (excluding SKILL.md)
--prompt-template <file>
Run Pi with Extension...
.ts files
--extension <file>
Run Pi with Prompt...
Any text file
@<file>
Explorer context menu: Right-click selected files to run the matching command. All selected files must match the command's file type.
Editor context menu: Right-click in the editor to run a command with the current file.
Command Palette: Opens a Quick Pick to browse and multi-select matching files from your workspace.
External editor auto-detection
Pi Dock auto-detects your VS Code variant and exports a matching EDITOR / VISUAL command for Pi's external editor flow:
VS Code Stable -> code --wait
VS Code Insiders -> code-insiders --wait
Cursor -> cursor --wait
If auto-detection fails, Pi Dock preserves your existing VISUAL / EDITOR values. Override this with the piDock.editorCommand setting.
Commands
Command
Description
Pi Dock: Run Pi Dock
Open an interactive Pi session in the editor area
Pi Dock: Run Pi with Skill...
Launch Pi with one or more Skill resources (SKILL.md files)
Pi Dock: Run Pi with Template...
Launch Pi with one or more prompt templates (.md files)
Pi Dock: Run Pi with Extension...
Launch Pi with one or more extensions (.ts files)
Pi Dock: Run Pi with Prompt...
Launch Pi with a text file as a prompt reference
Settings
Setting
Default
Description
piDock.defaultArgs
""
Extra CLI flags for every Pi invocation (e.g. --model openai/gpt-4o)
piDock.editorCommand
"" (auto)
Override the EDITOR / VISUAL command. Leave empty to auto-detect
piDock.promptExtraContext
""
Extra context appended after the @file reference in Prompt invocations
piDock.virtualEnvironmentOverride
true
Temporarily disable Python venv activation when creating a Pi terminal
piDock.virtualEnvironmentDrainMs
150
Milliseconds to wait before restoring venv activation (ignored when override is off)
piDock.restoreSessionsOnStartup
true
Reopen previous Pi sessions on VS Code startup
Building from source
npm install
npm run compile
npm test
For manual verification in a live VS Code instance, see TESTING.md.
Packaging
npm run package
# Produces: pi-dock-<version>.vsix
code --install-extension pi-dock-<version>.vsix
