# VS Code

> Use OpenHands in Visual Studio Code with the VSCode ACP community extension

[VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) can connect to ACP-compatible agents through the [VSCode ACP](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=omercnet.vscode-acp) community extension.

<Note>
  VS Code does not have native ACP support. This extension is maintained by [Omer Cohen](https://github.com/omercnet) and is not officially supported by OpenHands or Microsoft.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

Before configuring VS Code:

1. **OpenHands CLI installed** - See [Installation](/openhands/usage/cli/installation)
2. **LLM settings configured** - Run `openhands` and use `/settings`
3. **VS Code** - Download from [code.visualstudio.com](https://code.visualstudio.com/)

## Installation

### Step 1: Install the Extension

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (`Cmd+Shift+X` on Mac or `Ctrl+Shift+X` on Windows/Linux)
3. Search for **"VSCode ACP"**
4. Click **Install**

Or install directly from the [VS Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=omercnet.vscode-acp).

### Step 2: Connect to OpenHands

1. Click the **VSCode ACP** icon in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)
2. Click **Connect** to start a session
3. Select **OpenHands** from the agent dropdown
4. Start chatting with OpenHands!

## How It Works

The VSCode ACP extension auto-detects installed agents by checking your system PATH. If OpenHands CLI is properly installed, it will appear in the agent dropdown automatically.

The extension runs `openhands acp` as a subprocess and communicates via the Agent Client Protocol.

## Verification

Ensure OpenHands is discoverable:

```bash  theme={null}
which openhands
# Should return a path like /Users/you/.local/bin/openhands
```

If the command is not found, install OpenHands CLI:

```bash  theme={null}
uv tool install openhands --python 3.12
```

## Advanced Usage

### Custom Arguments

The VSCode ACP extension may support custom launch arguments. Check the extension's settings for options to pass flags like `--llm-approve`.

### Resume Conversations

To resume a conversation, you may need to:

1. Find your conversation ID: `openhands --resume`
2. Configure the extension to use custom arguments (if supported)
3. Or use the terminal directly: `openhands acp --resume <id>`

<Note>
  The VSCode ACP extension's feature set depends on the extension maintainer. Check the [extension documentation](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=omercnet.vscode-acp) for the latest capabilities.
</Note>

## Troubleshooting

### OpenHands Not Appearing in Dropdown

1. Verify OpenHands is installed and in PATH:
   ```bash  theme={null}
   which openhands
   openhands --version
   ```

2. Restart VS Code after installing OpenHands

3. Check if the extension recognizes agents:
   * Look for any error messages in the extension panel
   * Check the VS Code Developer Tools (`Help > Toggle Developer Tools`)

### Connection Failed

1. Ensure your LLM settings are configured:
   ```bash  theme={null}
   openhands
   # Use /settings to configure
   ```

2. Check that `openhands acp` works in terminal:
   ```bash  theme={null}
   openhands acp
   # Should start without errors (Ctrl+C to exit)
   ```

### Extension Not Working

1. Update to the latest version of the extension
2. Check for VS Code updates
3. Report issues on the [extension's GitHub](https://github.com/omercnet)

## Limitations

Since this is a community extension:

* Feature availability may vary
* Support depends on the extension maintainer
* Not all OpenHands CLI flags may be accessible through the UI

For the most control over OpenHands, consider using:

* [Terminal Mode](/openhands/usage/cli/terminal) - Direct CLI usage
* [Zed](/openhands/usage/cli/ide/zed) - Native ACP support

## See Also

* [IDE Integration Overview](/openhands/usage/cli/ide/overview) - ACP concepts and other IDEs
* [VSCode ACP Extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=omercnet.vscode-acp) - Extension marketplace page
* [Terminal Mode](/openhands/usage/cli/terminal) - Use OpenHands in terminal


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> To find navigation and other pages in this documentation, fetch the llms.txt file at: https://docs.openhands.dev/llms.txt