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348 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
348 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
# 🚀 Claude Code Chat - Beautiful Claude Code Chat Interface for VS Code
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[](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=andrepimenta.claude-code-chat)
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[](https://claude.ai/code)
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[](https://www.typescriptlang.org/)
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> **No more terminal commands. Chat with Claude Code through a beautiful, intuitive interface right inside VS Code.**
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Ditch the command line and experience Claude Code like never before. This extension brings a stunning chat interface directly into your editor, making AI assistance accessible, visual, and enjoyable.
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🤖 **Built by Claude Code for Claude Code** - This extension was entirely developed using Claude Code itself. Claude Code created its own chat interface!
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---
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## ✨ **Why Choose Claude Code Chat?**
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🖥️ **No Terminal Required** - Beautiful chat interface replaces command-line interactions
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⏪ **Restore Checkpoints** - Undo changes and restore code to any previous state
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🔌 **MCP Server Support** - Complete Model Context Protocol server management
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💾 **Conversation History** - Automatic conversation history and session management
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🎨 **VS Code Native** - Claude Code integrated directly into VS Code with native theming and sidebar support
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🧠 **Plan and Thinking modes** - Plan First and configurable Thinking modes for better results
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⚡ **Smart File/Image Context and Custom Commands** - Reference any file, copy images or screenshots, and create custom commands
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🤖 **Model Selection** - Choose between Opus, Sonnet, or Default based on your needs
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🐧 **WSL Support** - Full Windows Subsystem for Linux integration and compatibility
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---
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## 🌟 **Key Features**
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### 💬 **Beautiful Chat Graphical Interface**
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- No terminal required - everything through the UI
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- Real-time streaming responses with typing indicators
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- One-click message copying with visual feedback
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- Enhanced markdown support with syntax highlighting
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- Auto-resizing input that grows with your content
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- Copy-to-clipboard for code blocks
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### ⏪ **Checkpoint & Session Management**
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- **Restore Checkpoints** - Instantly undo changes and restore to any previous state
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- Automatic Git-based backup system for safe experimentation
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- Browse and restore from any conversation checkpoint
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- Automatic conversation saving and restoration
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- Real-time cost and token tracking
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- Session statistics and performance metrics
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### 🔌 **MCP Server Management** ⭐ **NEW IN V1.0**
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- **Popular Servers Gallery** - One-click installation of common MCP servers
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- **Custom Server Creation** - Build and configure your own MCP servers
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- **Server Management** - Edit, delete, enable/disable servers through UI
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- **Automatic Integration** - Seamless permissions and tool integration
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- **Cross-platform Support** - Full WSL compatibility with path conversion
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### 🔒 **Advanced Permissions System** ⭐ **NEW IN V1.0**
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- **Interactive Permission Dialogs** - Detailed tool information with command previews
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- **Always Allow Functionality** - Smart command pattern matching for common tools (npm, git, docker)
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- **YOLO Mode** - Skip all permission checks for power users
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- **Workspace Permissions** - Granular control over what tools can execute
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- **Real-time Permission Management** - Add/remove permissions through intuitive UI
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### 🖼️ **Image & Clipboard Support** ⭐ **NEW IN V1.0**
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- **Drag & Drop Images** - Simply drag images directly into the chat
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- **Clipboard Paste** - Press Ctrl+V to paste screenshots and copied images
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- **Multiple Image Selection** - Choose multiple images through VS Code's file picker
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- **Organized Storage** - Automatic organization in `.claude/claude-code-chat-images/`
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- **Format Support** - PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, WebP, BMP formats
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### 📱 **Sidebar Integration** ⭐ **NEW IN V1.0**
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- **Native VS Code Sidebar** - Full chat functionality in the sidebar panel
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- **Smart Panel Management** - Automatic switching between main and sidebar views
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- **Persistent Sessions** - State maintained across panel switches
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- **Activity Bar Integration** - Quick access from VS Code's activity bar
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### 📁 **Smart File Integration**
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- Type `@` to instantly search and reference workspace files
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- Image attachments via file browser and copy-paste screeshots
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- Lightning-fast file search across your entire project
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- Seamless context preservation for multi-file discussions
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### 🛠️ **Tool Management**
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- Visual dashboard showing all available Claude Code tools
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- Real-time tool execution with formatted results
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- Process control - start, stop, and monitor operations
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- Smart permission system for secure tool execution
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### 🎨 **VS Code Integration**
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- Native theming that matches your editor
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- Status bar integration with connection status
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- Activity bar panel for quick access
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- Responsive design for any screen size
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### 🤖 **Model Selection**
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- **Opus** - Most capable model for complex tasks requiring deep reasoning
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- **Sonnet** - Balanced model offering great performance for most use cases
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- **Default** - Uses your configured model setting
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- Model preference persists across sessions and is saved automatically
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- Easy switching via dropdown selector in the chat interface
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- Visual confirmation when switching between models
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- One-click model configuration through integrated terminal
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### ⚡ **Slash Commands Integration**
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- **Slash Commands Modal** - Type "/" to access all Claude Code commands instantly
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- **19+ Built-in Commands** - /cost, /status, /config, /help, /memory, /review, and more
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- **Custom Command Support** - Execute any Claude Code command with session context
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- **Session-Aware Execution** - All commands run with current conversation context
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- **Terminal Integration** - Commands open directly in VS Code terminal with WSL support
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### 🧠 **Advanced AI Modes**
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- **Plan First Mode** - Toggle to make Claude plan before implementing changes
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- **Thinking Mode** - Configurable intensity levels (Think, Think Hard, Think Harder, Ultrathink)
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- **Mode Toggles** - Simple switches above the text input area
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- **Intelligent Prompting** - Different prompts based on selected thinking intensity
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- **Token Awareness** - Higher thinking levels consume more tokens but provide deeper reasoning
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---
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## 🚀 **Getting Started**
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### Prerequisites
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- **VS Code 1.80+** - Latest version recommended
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- **Claude Code CLI** - [Install from Anthropic](https://claude.ai/code)
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- **Active Claude API or subscription** - API or Pro/Max plan
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### Installation
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1. **Install from VS Code Marketplace**
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```
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ext install claude-code-chat
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```
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2. **Or install manually**
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- Download the `.vsix` file from releases
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- Run `code --install-extension claude-code-chat-x.x.x.vsix`
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3. **Open Claude Code Chat**
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- Press `Ctrl+Shift+C` (or `Cmd+Shift+C` on Mac)
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- Or click the Claude icon in your status bar
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- Or use Command Palette: `Claude Code: Open Chat`
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---
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## 💡 **Usage Examples**
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### 🔥 **Code Review & Refactoring**
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```
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You: @src/components/UserProfile.tsx Can you review this component and suggest improvements?
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Claude: I'll analyze your UserProfile component. Looking at the code, here are my recommendations:
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1. **Performance Optimization**: Add React.memo() to prevent unnecessary re-renders
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2. **TypeScript Enhancement**: The props interface could be more specific
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3. **Accessibility**: Missing ARIA labels for screen readers
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[Detailed analysis with code examples follows...]
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```
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### 📊 **Project Analysis**
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```
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You: Analyze the overall architecture of my project and identify potential issues
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Claude: I'll examine your project structure and identify areas for improvement:
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🏗️ **Architecture Overview**
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- React frontend with TypeScript
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- Node.js backend with Express
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- MongoDB database layer
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⚠️ **Identified Issues**
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- Missing error boundaries in React components
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- Database queries lack proper indexing
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- API routes missing input validation
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[Detailed recommendations with implementation examples...]
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```
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### 🐛 **Debugging Assistant**
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```
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You: I'm getting a strange error in my API. Here's the stack trace: [paste error]
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Claude: Looking at this stack trace, the issue appears to be a race condition in your async middleware. Here's what's happening:
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1. **Root Cause**: Multiple requests are modifying shared state
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2. **Solution**: Implement proper request isolation
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3. **Prevention**: Add comprehensive error handling
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[Step-by-step debugging guide follows...]
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```
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### ⏪ **Safe Experimentation with Checkpoints**
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```
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You: Can you refactor this entire component to use hooks instead of class components?
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Claude: I'll refactor your component to use React hooks. Don't worry - I'll create a checkpoint first so you can easily restore if needed.
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[Creates automatic checkpoint]
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Here's the refactored component using hooks:
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[Shows the new implementation]
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If you want to revert these changes, just click "Restore Checkpoint" to go back to your original code instantly.
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```
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---
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## ⚙️ **Configuration**
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### Keyboard Shortcuts
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| Shortcut | Action |
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| `Ctrl+Shift+C` | Open Claude Code Chat |
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| `Enter` | Send message |
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| `@` | Open file picker |
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| `/` | Open slash commands modal |
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### WSL Configuration (Windows Users)
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If you're using Claude Code through WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), you can configure the extension to use WSL:
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1. Open VS Code Settings (`Ctrl+,` or `Cmd+,`)
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2. Search for "Claude Code Chat"
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3. Configure these settings:
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- **Claude Code Chat: WSL Enabled** - Enable WSL integration
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- **Claude Code Chat: WSL Distro** - Your WSL distribution name (e.g., `Ubuntu`, `Debian`)
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- **Claude Code Chat: WSL Node Path** - Path to Node.js in WSL (default: `/usr/bin/node`)
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- **Claude Code Chat: WSL Claude Path** - Path to Claude in WSL (default: `/usr/local/bin/claude`)
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Example configuration in `settings.json`:
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```json
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{
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"claudeCodeChat.wsl.enabled": true,
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"claudeCodeChat.wsl.distro": "Ubuntu",
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"claudeCodeChat.wsl.nodePath": "/usr/bin/node",
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"claudeCodeChat.wsl.claudePath": "/usr/local/bin/claude"
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}
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```
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---
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## 🎯 **Pro Tips & Tricks**
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### 🔥 **File Context Magic**
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- Type `@` followed by your search term to quickly reference files
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- Use `@src/` to narrow down to specific directories
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- Reference multiple files in one message for cross-file analysis
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- **NEW**: Copy-paste images directly into chat for visual context
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- **NEW**: Paste screenshots with Ctrl+V for instant visual communication
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### ⚡ **Productivity Boosters**
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- **Creates checkpoints automatically** before changes for safe experimentation
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- **Restore instantly** if changes don't work out as expected
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- **NEW**: Permission system prevents accidental tool execution
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- **NEW**: YOLO mode for power users who want speed over safety
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- Use the stop button to cancel long-running operations
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- Copy message contents to reuse Claude's responses
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- Open history panel to reference previous conversations
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- **NEW**: Sidebar integration for multi-panel workflow
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### 🎨 **Interface Customization**
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- The UI automatically adapts to your VS Code theme
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- Messages are color-coded: Green for you, Blue for Claude
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- Hover over messages to reveal the copy button
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- **NEW**: Enhanced code block rendering with syntax highlighting
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- **NEW**: Copy-to-clipboard functionality for code blocks
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---
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## 🔧 **Advanced Features**
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### 🛠️ **Tool Integration**
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Claude Code Chat provides secure access to all Claude Code tools:
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- **Bash** - Execute shell commands with permission controls
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- **File Operations** - Read, write, and edit files
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- **Search** - Grep and glob pattern matching across workspace
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- **Web** - Fetch and search web content
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- **Multi-edit** - Batch file modifications
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- **MCP Servers** - Extend functionality with Model Context Protocol servers
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- **Permissions System** - Granular control over tool execution for security
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### 📊 **Analytics & Monitoring**
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- **Real-time cost tracking** - Monitor your API usage
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- **Token consumption** - See input/output token counts
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- **Response timing** - Track performance metrics
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- **Session statistics** - Comprehensive usage analytics
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### ⏪ **Checkpoint System**
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- **Instant restoration** - One-click restore to any previous state
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- **Conversation checkpoints** - Every change creates a restore point
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- **Visual timeline** - See and navigate through all your project states
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### 🔄 **Conversation History**
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- **Automatic saving** - Every conversation is preserved
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- **Smart restoration** - Resume exactly where you left off
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- **Switch between chats** - Easily check and switch to previous conversations
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---
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## 🤝 **Contributing**
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We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:
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1. **🐛 Report Bugs** - Use our issue tracker
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2. **💡 Suggest Features** - Share your ideas
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3. **🔧 Submit PRs** - Help us improve the codebase
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4. **📚 Improve Docs** - Make the documentation better
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### Development Setup
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```bash
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git clone https://github.com/andrepimenta/claude-code-chat
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cd claude-code-chat
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npm install
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Click "F5" to run the extension or access the "Run and Debug" section in VSCode
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```
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---
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## 📝 **License**
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See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
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---
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## 🙏 **Acknowledgments**
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- **Anthropic** - For creating the amazing Claude AI and more specifically the Claude Code SDK
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- **VS Code Team** - For the incredible extension platform
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- **Our Community** - For feedback, suggestions, and contributions
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---
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## 📞 **Support**
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Need help? We've got you covered:
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- 🐛 **Issues**: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/andrepimenta/claude-code-chat/issues)
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---
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<div align="center">
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**⭐ Star us on GitHub if this project helped you!**
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[**Download Now**](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=andrepimenta.claude-code-chat)
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</div>
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