VS Code Extension Overview
The Contox VS Code extension (contox.contox-vscode) provides an integrated experience for managing your AI project memory directly from VS Code. It automatically captures your development activity, manages sessions, and configures all your AI tools.
Extension details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Extension ID | contox.contox-vscode |
| Display name | Contox |
| Version | 1.3.0 |
| Marketplace | VS Code Marketplace |
| Activation | onUri + workspaceContains:.contox.json |
Key features
Automatic git capture
The extension watches your git activity and captures commits, file changes, and code diffs in the background. Captured events are sent to the Contox V2 ingest API for AI-powered enrichment. No manual action needed -- your project memory grows as you code.
- Tracks git commits via VS Code's Git API (fallback: polling every 15 seconds)
- Captures compact diffs (max 3000 characters per commit)
- Excludes lock files, binaries, minified files, images, and fonts
- Auto-flushes after commits, pushes, and idle timeouts
Session management
The session watcher monitors your project for new sessions and tracks the enrichment pipeline:
- Polls for new sessions every 30 seconds
- Shows VS Code notifications when sessions are saved
- Tracks pipeline progress (enrichment, embedding, deduplication, drift check)
- Detects external session closure and auto-creates a new session
Context tree sidebar
The Contox sidebar panel displays your project brain as a hierarchical tree. Each node shows the schema key, item count, and themed icon. The tree syncs automatically when the workspace loads or when you run the sync command.
AI tool auto-configuration
The setup wizard configures your AI tools in one step. Select Claude, Cursor, Copilot, or Windsurf, and the extension creates the appropriate config files (.mcp.json, .cursorrules, .github/copilot-instructions.md, .windsurfrules).
Deep link setup
Connect your workspace from the Contox dashboard with one click. The deep link URI (vscode://contox.contox-vscode/setup?...) auto-configures the API key, project, HMAC secret, and starts all watchers.
Brain document injection
The Load Memory command writes the brain document to .contox/memory.md and injects it into all detected AI rule files (.cursorrules, .github/copilot-instructions.md, .windsurfrules, .clinerules) between <!-- contox:start --> and <!-- contox:end --> markers.
Files created by the extension
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
.contox.json | Project configuration (team ID, project ID, project name) |
~/.contoxrc | CLI authentication (API key, API URL) |
.mcp.json | Claude Code MCP server configuration |
.cursorrules | Cursor rules with brain injection |
.github/copilot-instructions.md | GitHub Copilot instructions with brain injection |
.windsurfrules | Windsurf rules with brain injection |
.contox/memory.md | Brain document for all AI tools |
Next steps
- Installation -- Install from the VS Code Marketplace
- Setup -- Deep link setup and setup wizard walkthrough
- Auto Capture -- How git watching and event capture work