All notable changes to the "claude-code-chat" extension will be documented in this file.
Check Keep a Changelog for recommendations on how to structure this file.
- In-process installer: Installing Claude Code no longer shells out to PowerShell,
curl | bash, ornpm install -g. The extension now fetches the platform-specific native binary directly (npm registry first, with Anthropic's CDN as a fallback), verifies the download with sha512/sha256, and writes it into the extension's own storage. Zero PATH, sudo, execution-policy, Node-version, or shell-quoting dependencies — if the extension installed, installing Claude works. - Progress updates during install: The install modal now reports "Looking up…", "Downloading… (X%)", "Verifying…", and "Installing…" as it runs, with an automatic retry message if it falls back to the CDN source.
- Cleaner install analytics:
Install successnow includessource(npm/cdn) andversion;Install failednow includes a typederrorCode(NETWORK / INTEGRITY / WRITE / AGGREGATE / UNSUPPORTED_PLATFORM) so failure buckets are meaningful instead of just "the shell command failed".
- Paths with spaces on Windows: Fixed an edge case where the main Claude spawn could fail when the executable path contained spaces (e.g.
C:\Users\Some User\…). Absolute paths now bypasscmd.exewrapping entirely.
- New
src/claudeDownloader.tsmodule: self-contained, no new runtime dependencies. Includes a minimal in-tree tar parser so we can stream-extract the one binary we need from the npm tarball without bundling a tar library. - Removed the old PowerShell / curl / npm install paths and the associated
_getKnownInstallLocation/_checkClaudeAvailablehelpers — the download flow now owns the install location end-to-end.
- Smarter post-install setup: Fresh installs now "just work" without a VS Code restart. After install, the extension checks whether
clauderesolved on your PATH and, if not, auto-configuresclaudeCodeChat.executable.pathto the known install location. An existing custom executable path is respected. - WSL: Node.js path is now optional: Recent Claude Code ships as a native binary and doesn't need Node. Leave the Node.js Path field blank unless you installed Claude via npm. The WSL settings panel was also reordered so Claude Path comes first.
- Rock-solid terminals across shells: Login, Model, /usage, and slash-command terminals now launch Claude directly instead of sending text through the shell. Fixes a class of quoting issues on Windows PowerShell and keeps behavior identical across PowerShell, cmd, bash, and zsh.
- Terminal sites now use
createTerminal'sshellPath/shellArgs— no shell quoting, consistent env inheritance, identical behavior across OSes.
- Plan Mode (Improved):
- Plans now render as beautifully formatted markdown with headings, lists, and code blocks
- Suggested actions shown as clickable buttons below the plan (e.g. "run npm build")
- Permission prompt says "Approve the plan above?" with an Approve button instead of the generic tool approval
- MCP, Skills & Plugins Marketplace:
- Browse 30+ curated MCP servers (GitHub, Slack, Stripe, Notion, Supabase, etc.)
- Search across both add-mcp curated and official Anthropic registries with smart ranking
- Install MCP servers to project (
.mcp.json) or global (~/.claude.json) - Skills marketplace with one-click install via
npx skills add - Plugins marketplace to extend Claude Code
- OAuth authentication support — open terminal to log in to MCPs
- 150+ AI Models via OpenCredits:
- Quick model switching: GPT, Gemini, MiniMax, Kimi, GLM, DeepSeek buttons above the text box
- Browse and select from 150+ models across providers
- Pay-as-you-go with OpenCredits — no subscription needed
- US & EU provider filtering option in settings
- Model selection persists correctly after checkout
- Image Preview:
- Paste or pick images with thumbnail preview before sending
- Remove attached images before sending
- Multiple image attachments per message
- Image paths in text auto-detected and sent as base64
- Support & Feedback:
- "Support" button in status bar to send bug reports and feature requests
- Submissions sent directly to Discord
- Inline stop button replaces send button during processing
- Self-hosted Umami analytics with editor tracking (VS Code vs Cursor)
- BETA badge on model section with instant tooltip
- Cleaner model selector and Browse All Models alignment
- Fix model not being selected after OpenCredits checkout
- Fix provider choice modal appearing unexpectedly after settings changes
- Fix duplicate login error toast
- Fix WSL environment variable passthrough for OpenCredits
- Fix Windows URL opening with
startcommand - Fix
--mcp-configerror on fresh installs - Await
setEnvsDisabledso settings reflect changes immediately - Skip npx install prompt with
-yflag for skills - Better install error messages (Node.js 18+ requirement)
- Add node and mocha types to tsconfig for clean editor diagnostics
- Remove debug
console.logs, addconsole.errorto empty catch blocks
- Install Modal: Added installation flow for users without Claude Code CLI
- Auto-detects when Claude Code is not installed
- One-click installation with progress indicator
- Platform-specific installation commands
- Diff Viewer Improvements:
- Show full diff in Edit, MultiEdit, and Write tool use messages
- Add "Open Diff" button to open VS Code's native side-by-side diff editor
- Add truncation with expand button for long diffs
- Optimize diff storage and improve Open Diff button behavior
- Processing Indicator: New morphing orange dot animation while Claude is working
- Subscription Detection: Added usage badge to status bar showing plan type (Pro, Max) or API cost
- Conversation Compacting: Handle
/compactcommand in chat with status messages and token reset - Permission System: Migrated from MCP file-based to stdio-based permission prompts
- Plan Mode: Now uses native
--permission-mode planCLI flag for cleaner implementation
- Fixed diff line alignment by removing ::before pseudo-elements
- Fixed auto-scroll for diff tool results
- Strip tool_use_error tags from error messages
- Improved process termination handling
- Run /compact command in chat instead of spawning terminal
- Improved terminal and UI experience
- Updated diff icon colors
- Added Umami analytics events to track install flow (modal shown, started, success/failed)
- Slash Commands Update: Added 4 new slash commands to the commands modal
/add-dir- Add additional working directories/agents- Manage custom AI subagents for specialized tasks/rewind- Rewind the conversation and/or code/usage- Show plan usage limits and rate limit status (subscription plans only)
- Updated slash commands count from 19+ to 23+ built-in commands
- Enhanced command descriptions for better clarity:
/config- Now specifies "Open the Settings interface (Config tab)"/cost- Added note about cost tracking guide for subscription-specific details/status- Expanded description to mention version, model, account, and connectivity/terminal-setup- Added clarification about iTerm2 and VSCode only support
- Fixed typo in codebase
- Removed priority settings that were no longer needed
- Moved script to separate file for better code organization
- MCP Integration: Added claude-code-chat-permissions-mcp folder for enhanced permission management
- Message Persistence: Save message in text box for better user experience
- UI Improvements: Always display history and new chat options
- Input Enhancement: Removed maxlength limit for custom command prompt textarea
- Fixed new chat functionality
- Fixed request start time isProcessing issue
- Fixed close and open conversation behavior
- Merged PR #87 from horatio-sans-serif/main
- Fixed input text area overflow issue by adding
box-sizing: border-boxto prevent padding from extending beyond container width - Fixed command parameter handling for
claude-code-chat.openChatto properly handle both ViewColumn and Uri parameters from different invocation contexts
- Enhanced
show()method to accept optional ViewColumn parameter with ViewColumn.Two as default - Added proper type checking for command parameters to handle context menu invocations
- Improved webview panel positioning with flexible column parameter support
- Resolved text input container sizing issues that caused visual overflow
- Better input field styling consistency across different VS Code themes
- Complete permissions framework with MCP integration for secure tool execution
- Interactive permission dialogs with detailed tool information and command previews
- "Always Allow" functionality with smart command pattern matching for common tools (npm, git, docker, etc.)
- YOLO mode for power users to skip all permission checks
- Comprehensive permissions settings UI with ability to add/remove specific permissions
- File system watcher for real-time permission request handling
- Workspace-specific permission storage and management
- Complete MCP server configuration interface
- Popular MCP servers gallery with one-click installation
- Custom MCP server creation with validation
- Server management (edit, delete, enable/disable)
- Automatic permissions server integration
- WSL path conversion for cross-platform compatibility
- Native VS Code sidebar view with full chat functionality
- Smart panel management (auto-close main panel when sidebar opens)
- Persistent session state across panel switches
- Proper webview lifecycle management
- Activity bar integration with custom icon
- Drag-and-drop image support directly into chat
- Clipboard image paste functionality (Ctrl+V for screenshots)
- Multiple image selection with VS Code's native file picker
- Automatic image organization in
.claude/claude-code-chat-images/folder - Automatic
.gitignorecreation for image folders - Support for PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, WebP, BMP formats
- Enhanced markdown parsing with proper code block detection
- Syntax highlighting for code blocks with language detection
- Copy-to-clipboard functionality for code blocks
- Improved inline code rendering
- Better handling of technical identifiers and underscores
- Comprehensive settings modal with organized sections
- YOLO mode toggle with visual warnings and explanations
- Real-time settings synchronization between UI and VS Code config
- Better visual hierarchy and professional styling
- Smart configuration validation and error handling
- Improved message spacing and visual consistency
- Enhanced tool result display with better formatting
- Smart scrolling behavior (only auto-scroll if user is at bottom)
- Loading indicators and processing states
- Better error handling and user feedback
- Less subtle YOLO mode section (increased opacity and size)
- Changed warning icon from
⚠️ to 🚀 for less intimidating appearance - Soft tomato red styling that's noticeable but not scary
- Clear explanation of YOLO mode functionality
- Persistent session state across VS Code restarts
- Proper cleanup of resources and event listeners
- Better error handling for failed operations
- Improved memory management for large conversations
- Enhanced WSL support with proper path conversion
- Windows-specific improvements and fixes
- Better handling of different operating system environments
- Improved subprocess management and cleanup
- Reduced context usage with more efficient tool operations
- Better file search and workspace integration
- Optimized message handling and UI updates
- Improved extension activation and initialization times
- Better error messages and debugging information
- Improved extension logging and troubleshooting
- Enhanced development workflow support
- Better TypeScript integration and type safety
- Fixed multiple permission prompts being sent simultaneously
- Resolved panel management issues with multiple webviews
- Fixed expand/collapse functionality for long content
- Corrected Unix timestamp parsing for usage limit messages
- Fixed WSL integration on Windows systems
- Resolved markdown parsing issues with underscores in code
- Fixed copy-paste functionality for images and code blocks
- Corrected file path handling across different platforms
- Permission system now requires explicit approval for tool execution (unless YOLO mode is enabled)
- Image files are now stored in
.claude/claude-code-chat-images/instead of root directory - MCP configuration moved to extension storage instead of global config
- Updated README with comprehensive feature documentation
- Fixed GitHub issues link in repository
- Enhanced examples and usage guides
- Better onboarding experience for new users
- Added comprehensive diff visualization for MultiEdit tool operations
- Shows file path with click-to-open functionality
- Displays multiple edits with numbered labels (Edit #1, Edit #2, etc.)
- Smart truncation handling - shows complete edits within line limits
- Expandable interface with "Show X more edits" button
- Visual separators between individual edits
- Consistent styling with existing Edit tool diff display
- Added MultiEdit to hidden tool results list for cleaner interface
- Tool results for Read, Edit, TodoWrite, and MultiEdit now show loading states instead of uninteresting success messages
- Improved user experience by hiding redundant "Tool executed successfully" messages
- Fixed bug where thinking mode toggle text changed before user confirmation
- Toggle text now only updates when user clicks "Confirm" button
- Preview selection highlighting still works during option exploration
- Improved user experience with proper confirmation workflow
- Standardized spacing between tool messages and user/Claude messages
- Updated tool input padding from 12px to 8px to match message spacing
- Unified visual consistency across all message types
- Changed MultiEdit edit number labels from purple to subtle professional styling
- Used VS Code theme colors for better integration
- Improved overall visual cohesion with more sober color palette
- Enhanced tool message formatting infrastructure
- Improved diff rendering performance for multiple edits
- Better error handling for malformed MultiEdit tool inputs
- Optimized truncation logic for complex multi-edit operations
- Fixed markdown parsing bug where underscores in code identifiers (like "protein_id") were incorrectly converted to italic formatting
- Updated regex pattern to only apply italic formatting when underscores are surrounded by whitespace or at string boundaries
- Preserved proper formatting for code snippets and technical identifiers
- Always show New Chat button
- Added configurable thinking mode with 4 intensity levels: Think, Think Hard, Think Harder, Ultrathink
- Beautiful slider interface in settings for intensity selection
- Clickable intensity labels for easy selection
- Different thinking prompts based on selected intensity level
- Higher intensities provide more detailed reasoning but consume more tokens
- Settings persist across sessions with VS Code configuration integration
- New toggle for "Plan First" mode that instructs Claude to plan before making changes
- Requires user approval before proceeding with implementation
- Safer experimentation workflow for complex changes
- Simple switch interface above the text input area
- Type "/" to open beautiful slash commands modal with 19+ commands
- Complete Claude Code command integration: /bug, /clear, /compact, /config, /cost, /doctor, /help, /init, /login, /logout, /mcp, /memory, /model, /permissions, /pr_comments, /review, /status, /terminal-setup, /vim
- Custom command input field for executing any Claude Code command
- Session-aware command execution with automatic session resumption
- Commands open in VS Code terminal with proper WSL support
- Visual feedback and user guidance for terminal interaction
- Updated "Default" model to show "User configured" instead of "Smart allocation"
- Added "Configure" button next to Default model option
- Configure button opens terminal with
claude /modelcommand for easy model setup - Session-aware model configuration with current session context
- Clear user messaging about terminal interaction and return workflow
- Restructured settings with better organization and grouping
- Added "Coming Soon" sections for Custom Slash Commands and MCP Configuration
- Consistent UI patterns across all settings sections
- Clean, professional design matching VS Code aesthetics
- Smaller, more subtle mode toggle switches (reduced by 2px)
- Clickable text labels for all toggle switches
- Improved slider positioning and label alignment
- Sober, clean interface design without unnecessary colors or decorations
- Better visual hierarchy in settings modal
- Responsive design improvements
- Session ID now passed to all slash commands for context awareness
- Improved message handling between frontend and backend
- Better error handling and user feedback
- Enhanced WSL compatibility for all new features
- Modular code structure for easier maintenance
- Updated keyboard shortcuts documentation
- Enhanced configuration examples
- Improved feature descriptions and usage examples
- Model selector dropdown in the chat interface
- Located to the left of the tools selector at the bottom of the chat box
- Supports three models: Opus (most capable), Sonnet (balanced), and Default (smart allocation)
- Model preference is saved and persists across sessions
- Validates model selection to prevent invalid model names
- Shows confirmation message when switching models
- Reorganized input controls into left-controls and right-controls sections for better layout
- Claude command now includes the --model flag when a specific model is selected
- WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) configuration support
- New setting:
claudeCodeChat.wsl.enabledto enable WSL integration - New setting:
claudeCodeChat.wsl.distroto specify WSL distribution - New setting:
claudeCodeChat.wsl.nodePathto configure Node.js path in WSL - New setting:
claudeCodeChat.wsl.claudePathto configure Claude path in WSL
- New setting:
- Automatic detection of execution environment (native vs WSL)
- WSL support for Claude login terminal command
- Claude execution now supports both native and WSL environments based on configuration
- Terminal login command adapts to WSL settings when enabled
- Initial release