How to Use Claude Code in VS Code (or Other IDEs)?

There are two approaches to using Claude Code in VS Code (or other IDEs):

Terminal approach — Works with any IDE, no UI dependency
Extension approach — Exclusive to VS Code and its derivatives (Cursor, Trae, Codium, etc.)

Approach 1: Command-Line Terminal (Universal)

This is the most flexible method, compatible with all IDEs including VS Code, IntelliJ, Eclipse, Vim, and more.

Install the Claude Code CLI

Follow the installation guide for your operating system:

Open a Terminal in Your IDE

VS Code: Ctrl+` or menu View → Terminal
IntelliJ/WebStorm: Alt+F12 or the Terminal tab at the bottom
Other IDEs: Find the built-in terminal feature

Launch Claude Code

In the terminal, type:

claude

Start a Conversation

Type your request directly. Claude Code will:

Automatically analyze project files
Show diffs and file changes in real time
Support ESC ESC to create a checkpoint so you can roll back accidental changes

Connect to Your IDE with `/ide` (Optional but Highly Recommended)

Type /ide in the terminal to attach the current session to the VS Code / Cursor / JetBrains extension, enabling:

Real-time reading of the file currently open in the IDE and the cursor selection
Code changes highlighted directly in the IDE’s Diff view, instead of plain text in the terminal
Shared IDE linter errors so Claude can fix them in one step

Scenario	Action
First connection	Type `/ide` in the terminal `claude` session
Check status	`/ide status`
Reconnect	If you switch to a different IDE window, just type `/ide` again
Shortcut	After connecting, press `Cmd+Esc` / `Ctrl+Esc` in the IDE to quickly open the Claude side panel

One-liner to remember: /ide = instantly give the “black terminal” a “graphical upgrade” — visual diffs, selection-as-context, and instant error fixes.

Pros:

No UI dependency — works with monorepos, CI, and remote servers
Universal across all IDEs — learn once, use everywhere

Cons:

Pure command-line interface; requires typing commands

Approach 2: VS Code Extension (GUI)

Compatible with VS Code and its derivatives (Cursor, Trae, Windsurf, Codium, etc.).

Install the Claude Code Extension

Open the VS Code Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search for “Claude Code”
Select the official extension published by Anthropic
Click Install

Configure the API (Required for CC Club Users)

⚠️

If you are using CC Club’s service, this configuration step is mandatory!

You need to set primaryApiKey in the config file:

Config file location: ~/.claude/config.json

{
  "primaryApiKey": "crs"
}

Verify the config:

cat ~/.claude/config.json

If this file does not exist, create it manually.

Use the Claude Code Extension

There are multiple ways to interact:

Method	Action
Command Palette	`Ctrl+Shift+P` → type “Claude Code: Start Chat”
Sidebar	Click the Claude icon in the sidebar and start chatting
Drag and drop files	Drag files into the chat window to use them as context