CLI Commands Reference

Commands Overview

The VS Code CLI provides several powerful commands for managing your development environment:

code [options] [paths...]     # Open files/folders
code tunnel                   # Create remote tunnel
code ext                      # Manage extensions
code status                   # Print diagnostics
code version                  # Manage VS Code versions
code serve-web                # Run local web server

Opening Files and Folders

The default command (no subcommand) opens files and folders in VS Code.

Basic Usage

# Open current directory
code .

# Open specific files
code file1.js file2.js

# Open from stdin
cat README.md | code -

Editor Options

--diff

file file

Compare two files with each other

code --diff old.js new.js

--add

folder

Add folder(s) to the last active window

code --add ~/projects/library

--goto

file:line[:character]

Open a file at the specified line and character position

code --goto index.ts:42:15

--new-window

boolean

default:"false"

Force opening a new window

code --new-window ~/project

--reuse-window

boolean

default:"false"

Force reusing an existing window

code --reuse-window file.txt

--wait

boolean

default:"false"

Wait for the files to be closed before returning. Essential for Git editor integration.

export EDITOR="code --wait"
git commit  # Opens commit message in VS Code and waits

--locale

string

Set the display language (locale)

code --locale=ja-JP

--enable-proposed-api

extension-id...

Enable proposed API features for specified extensions

code --enable-proposed-api publisher.extension-name

Extension Management

Manage VS Code extensions from the command line.

ext list

List all installed extensions:

code ext list

code ext list
ms-python.python
dbaeumer.vscode-eslint
esbenp.prettier-vscode

Options

--show-versions

boolean

Display version numbers alongside extension IDs

--category

string

Filter extensions by category (e.g., themes, formatters, linters)

ext install

Install one or more extensions:

code ext install <extension-id>

code ext install ms-python.python

Options

<id-or-path>

string[]

required

Extension identifier(s) in format ${publisher}.${name} or path(s) to VSIX file(s). Use @${version} to install specific version.

--pre-release

boolean

Install the pre-release version of the extension

--force

boolean

Update to the latest version even if already installed

--donot-include-pack-and-dependencies

boolean

Don’t install extension packs and dependencies

ext uninstall

Uninstall one or more extensions:

code ext uninstall <extension-id>

code ext uninstall ms-python.python
code ext uninstall ms-python.python dbaeumer.vscode-eslint

<extension-id>

string[]

required

One or more extension identifiers to uninstall

ext update

Update all installed extensions to their latest versions:

code ext update

Status Command

Print process usage and diagnostics information:

code status

This displays detailed information about running VS Code processes, memory usage, CPU usage, and other diagnostic data. Useful for troubleshooting performance issues.

code status

Version:          1.85.0
Commit:           a0d0e3f
Date:             2023-11-29T10:15:30.000Z
Electron:         25.9.7
Chrome:           114.0.5735.289
Node.js:          18.15.0
V8:               11.4.183.29
OS:               Linux x64 5.15.0

CPU Usage:
  Renderer:       8%
  Extension Host: 2%
  
Memory Usage:
  Renderer:       245 MB
  Extension Host: 87 MB

Version Management

Manage and switch between different VS Code versions.

version use

Switch to a different VS Code version:

code version use <version>

code version use stable

Options

string

required

Version to use: stable, insiders, specific version number (e.g., 1.85.0), or absolute path to existing installation

--install-dir

path

Directory where the version can be found

version show

Display the currently configured VS Code version:

code version show

code version show
Current quality: stable
Installation path: /usr/share/code

Web Server

Run a local web version of VS Code accessible via browser.

code serve-web [options]

code serve-web
# Web UI available at http://localhost:8000?tkn=<token>

Options

--host

string

default:"localhost"

Host to listen on

code serve-web --host 0.0.0.0

--port

number

default:"8000"

Port to listen on. Use 0 for random free port.

code serve-web --port 0  # Random port

--socket-path

string

Path to a socket file for the server to listen on

--connection-token

string

A secret that must be included with all requests for authentication

--connection-token-file

string

Path to file containing the connection token

--without-connection-token

boolean

Run without a connection token (only if connection is secured by other means)

Only use this option if you have other security measures in place, as it removes authentication.

--server-base-path

string

Specifies the path under which the web UI and code server are provided

code serve-web --server-base-path /vscode
# Access at http://localhost:8000/vscode

--server-data-dir

string

Directory where server data is kept

--commit-id

string

Use a specific commit SHA for the client

--accept-server-license-terms

boolean

Accept the server license terms without prompting

Troubleshooting Options

These options help diagnose and fix issues:

--disable-extensions

boolean

Disable all installed extensions

code --disable-extensions

--disable-extension

extension-id...

Disable specific extension(s)

code --disable-extension ms-python.python

--disable-gpu

boolean

Disable GPU hardware acceleration

code --disable-gpu

--prof-startup

boolean

Run CPU profiler during startup for performance analysis

--inspect-extensions

port

Allow debugging and profiling of extensions

code --inspect-extensions=9333

--inspect-brk-extensions

port

Like --inspect-extensions, but pauses extension host at start

--sync

on | off

Turn settings sync on or off

code --sync=off

--telemetry

boolean

Shows all telemetry events the editor collects

Configuration Options

--extensions-dir

Legacy Command Support

The CLI maintains backward compatibility with legacy flags:

code ext list --show-versions
code ext install ms-python.python
code ext uninstall ms-python.python

While legacy flags are supported for backward compatibility, using the modern command syntax (code ext ...) is recommended for new scripts.

Exit Codes

The CLI returns standard exit codes:

0 - Success
1 - General error or installation not found
Other non-zero values indicate specific errors

These can be used in scripts for error handling:

if code ext install ms-python.python; then
  echo "Extension installed successfully"
else
  echo "Failed to install extension"
  exit 1
fi

Command Line

Commands Overview

Opening Files and Folders

Basic Usage

Editor Options

Extension Management

ext list

Options

ext install

Options

ext uninstall

ext update

Status Command

Version Management

version use

Options

version show

Web Server

Options

Troubleshooting Options

Configuration Options

Legacy Command Support

Exit Codes

Next Steps

Remote Tunnels

CLI Overview

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Command Line

​Commands Overview

​Opening Files and Folders

​Basic Usage

​Editor Options

​Extension Management

​ext list

​Options

​ext install

​Options

​ext uninstall

​ext update

​Status Command

​Version Management

​version use

​Options

​version show

​Web Server

​Options

​Troubleshooting Options

​Configuration Options

​Legacy Command Support

​Exit Codes

​Next Steps

Remote Tunnels

CLI Overview

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Commands Overview

Opening Files and Folders

Basic Usage

Editor Options

Extension Management

ext list

Options

ext install

Options

ext uninstall

ext update

Status Command

Version Management

version use

Options

version show

Web Server

Options

Troubleshooting Options

Configuration Options

Legacy Command Support

Exit Codes

Next Steps