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johnnyeric merged 3 commits into from
Jun 30, 2026
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docs(kilo-docs): clarify VS Code extension local launch #11663

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docs(kilo-docs): document VS Code extension local launch
singhvishalkr Jun 24, 2026
a6dbc0f
docs(kilo-docs): add Windows extension env example
singhvishalkr Jun 24, 2026
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Merge branch 'main' into docs/vscode-extension-local-dev
johnnyeric Jun 30, 2026
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30 changes: 30 additions & 0 deletions packages/kilo-docs/pages/contributing/development-environment.md
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Expand Up @@ -109,6 +109,36 @@ bun run extension

This will build and launch the extension in an isolated VS Code instance.

The command auto-detects VS Code on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Use these options when the default launch target is not the one you need:

| Option | Use |
|---|---|
| `--no-build` | Launch the extension host without rebuilding first |
| `--app-path <path>` | Point to a specific VS Code executable |
| `VSCODE_EXEC_PATH` | Set the VS Code executable through the current shell environment |
| `--insiders` | Prefer VS Code Insiders |
| `--workspace <path>` | Open a specific workspace folder |
| `--clean` | Reset cached extension state before launch |

For example, to test the extension against a sample workspace:

```bash
bun run extension --workspace ../sample-project
```

To set the executable through an environment variable, use the syntax for your shell:

```bash
VSCODE_EXEC_PATH=/usr/local/bin/code bun run extension
```

```powershell
$env:VSCODE_EXEC_PATH = "C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe"
bun run extension
```

When the Extension Development Host opens, check the Kilo Code output channel and the Developer Tools console for startup or webview errors.

### Building the Extension

From `packages/kilo-vscode/`:
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