What if downloading VS Code from the official site is slow?

It's usually because the browser pulls the 100–200 MB installer on a single thread. Copying the official direct links into a download tool that supports multi-threading is usually much faster — for example, the Windows user installer https://update.code.visualstudio.com/latest/win32-x64-user/stable and the macOS Universal build https://update.code.visualstudio.com/latest/darwin-universal/stable. These direct links contain no version number and always point to the latest stable release.

Does the Claude Code extension need its API key configured separately?

No. The extension reads ~/.claude/settings.json, exactly the same as the Claude Code CLI — it automatically reuses the key and Base URL you set up in the CLI. VS Code, Cursor, Trae, and Antigravity all share this same config too, so one change applies everywhere.

How do I troubleshoot a 401 / Unauthorized error in the extension?

Same approach as the CLI — it's usually the shell environment variables ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL / ANTHROPIC_API_KEY overriding the config in settings.json. Remove those variables from your shell config file and restart the editor.

What if I can't find the Claude Code extension in Cursor / Trae / Antigravity?

Some VS Code-derived editors use a private extension store (such as Open VSX); when you can't find it, install offline instead: first download the .vsix package from the official VS Code extension marketplace page, then choose Install from VSIX from the '…' menu at the top-right of the editor's extensions panel.

Should I choose the Claude Code extension or the CLI?

Neither is functionally better than the other — pick by preference: if you like coding inside the editor, use the extension, where all your context stays in the editor; if you need to work across editors, write scripts, or run batch tasks, use the CLI, which is more flexible. They read the same config and can be used at the same time.

Claude Code extension (VS Code / Cursor / Trae / Antigravity)

Q: How do I switch to a Chinese model in the extension?

Add "model": "qwen3.8-max-preview" to ~/.claude/settings.json, and the CLI and all VS Code-family editors will use that model automatically. See the Model Gallery for the list of available models.

Download VS Code, install the Claude Code extension, and connect it to the LMU AI API — a full walkthrough that shares one settings.json with the CLI.

The official VS Code extension Claude Code for VS Code lets you use Claude Code right in the editor sidebar, without switching to the terminal. It shares one config file with the Claude Code CLI, so the key / Base URL you set up in the CLI work directly in the extension — no need to set them up again.

Also works with Cursor / Trae / Antigravity and other editors

Any editor built on the VS Code core (Cursor, Trae, Antigravity, etc.) can search its built-in extension store for the same Claude Code for VS Code extension to install and configure it — the steps are exactly the same as VS Code.

All screenshots and commands on this page use VS Code as the example; Cursor / Trae / Antigravity users can follow them as-is.

Download and install VS Code

Using Cursor / Trae / Antigravity?

These are standalone editors — download the right installer from each one's official site (not VS Code), and once installed, jump straight to the next section, Install the extension — the extension marketplace and install steps are the same as VS Code.

Go to code.visualstudio.com and click the Download button; the site detects your OS automatically. You can also use the official direct links below (no version number, always pointing to the latest stable release, no need to visit the site first):

Download: Windows User Installer (x64) — no admin rights needed, installs to the current user's directory, and is the official recommendation. For ARM devices, use the ARM64 build.

Install:

Double-click the downloaded VSCodeUserSetup-*.exe
Click "Next" through the steps, and at "Select Additional Tasks", check:
- "Add to PATH" (checked by default, keep it) — lets the terminal use the code command
- "Register Code as an editor for supported file types"
- "Add 'Open with Code' action to the Windows Explorer context menu" (optional, convenient)
Launch VS Code when done

Download: macOS Universal build — one package that supports both Apple Silicon and Intel chips.

Install:

You get VSCode-darwin-universal.zip; double-click to unzip it
Drag the extracted Visual Studio Code.app into the Applications folder in Finder
Open VS Code from Launchpad
(Recommended) Press Cmd+Shift+P to open the Command Palette and run Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH; afterward you can open the current directory in the terminal with code .

Choose by distribution:

Debian / Ubuntu: download the .deb package, then sudo apt install ./code_*.deb
RHEL / Fedora / openSUSE: download the .rpm package, then sudo rpm -i code-*.rpm (or sudo dnf install code-*.rpm)

The .deb / .rpm install automatically adds code to PATH and hooks into the system's software updates. Once installed, run code in the terminal or launch it from the application menu.

Official site or download slow?

The installer is 100–200 MB, and single-threaded browser downloads can occasionally be slow in China. Copying the official direct links above into a download tool that supports multi-threading is usually much faster — these direct links contain no version number and always point to the latest stable release.

Install the extension

Open VS Code (or Cursor / Trae / Antigravity) and go to the Extensions panel (shortcut Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search for Claude Code for VS Code, and make sure it's the official Anthropic release
Click Install; once installed, a Claude icon appears in the sidebar

A note for Cursor / Trae / Antigravity

Some VS Code-derived editors use a private extension store (such as Open VSX). If you can't find Claude Code for VS Code:

Go to the official VS Code extension marketplace page and download the .vsix package
In the … menu at the top-right of the editor's Extensions panel, choose Install from VSIX

Configure the LMU AI API

If you've already configured the Claude Code CLI, you can skip this section

The extension reads ~/.claude/settings.json, exactly the same as the CLI. The key and Base URL you set up in the Claude Code CLI config are reused automatically by the extension — no extra steps needed.

That also means VS Code, Cursor, Trae, and Antigravity all share the same config — change it once in any editor, and it applies to the other editors and the CLI.

If this is your first time configuring it, create the config file as follows:

mkdir -p ~/.claude && touch ~/.claude/settings.json

mkdir "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude" -Force
New-Item "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\settings.json" -Force

Add the following (replace the key with yours):

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.lmuai.com",
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "sk-your-lmu-ai-api-key",
    "API_TIMEOUT_MS": "3000000",
    "CLAUDE_CODE_ATTRIBUTION_HEADER": "0"
  }
}

For details (including default Chinese-model settings, tuning effortLevel, and more), see the Claude Code CLI config; all config options apply.

Launch the extension

In the editor, press Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P to open the Command Palette
Type Claude Code: Open, or just click the Claude icon in the sidebar
In the chat panel that opens, you can talk to Claude Code, generate code, and let it edit files automatically

One config, usable everywhere

Run claude in the terminal → use the Claude Code CLI
Click the Claude icon in the VS Code / Cursor / Trae / Antigravity sidebar → use the extension

They read the same ~/.claude/settings.json, so the key, Base URL, model, and timeout settings all take effect everywhere when changed in one place.

Prefer coding inside the editor → use the extension, where all your context stays in the editor
Working across editors, writing scripts, batch tasks → use the CLI, which is more flexible

Neither is functionally better — pick whichever suits you.

Last updated: 2026-08-26

Claude Code extension (VS Code / Cursor / Trae / Antigravity)

Download and install VS Code

Install the extension

Configure the LMU AI API

Launch the extension

Common issues

401 / Unauthorized in the extension

Using a Chinese model / switching the default model

Can't find the extension in Cursor / Trae / Antigravity

Extension or CLI — which should I choose?

Get an LMU AI key and start using Claude, Codex and more

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