VS Code is the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support coming to AI extensions, you can now connect CKB for semantic code intelligence—your AI understands your code structure, not just text.

This guide covers setting up CKB with VS Code and MCP-compatible extensions.

What You'll Get

With CKB connected, your VS Code AI can:

Navigate code semantically (find callers, not just text matches)
Analyze impact before you make changes
Suggest appropriate reviewers based on code ownership
Understand your codebase architecture

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.85 or later
An MCP-compatible AI extension:
- Continue (recommended, free)
- GitHub Copilot Chat (MCP support in preview)
- Other MCP-enabled extensions
Node.js 18+

Setup with Continue Extension

Continue is a free, open-source AI coding assistant with excellent MCP support.

Step 1: Install Continue

Open VS Code Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X)
Search for "Continue"
Install the Continue extension
Reload VS Code

Step 2: Install CKB

npm install -g @tastehub/ckb

Step 3: Initialize Your Project

cd /your/project
ckb init

Step 4: Configure Continue

Open Continue's config file:

Press Cmd+Shift+P (or Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type "Continue: Open Config"
Select it to open config.json

Add CKB to the MCP servers section:

{
  "models": [...],
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "ckb",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tastehub/ckb", "mcp"]
    }
  ]
}

Step 5: Reload and Test

Reload VS Code, then in Continue's chat:

You: "What MCP tools are available?"

Continue: "I have access to CKB's code intelligence tools:
- searchSymbols: Find functions, classes, types
- getCallGraph: See callers and callees
- prepareChange: Impact analysis
- explore: Area exploration
..."

Setup with GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot Chat is adding MCP support. Configuration varies by version:

Current Preview Method

Add to VS Code settings (settings.json):

{
  "github.copilot.chat.experimental.mcp.servers": {
    "ckb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tastehub/ckb", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Note: This setting may change as Copilot's MCP support evolves. Check Copilot documentation for the latest configuration method.

Generic MCP Configuration

For other MCP-compatible extensions, the configuration is similar:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ckb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tastehub/ckb", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Check your extension's documentation for the exact config location.

Using CKB in VS Code

Chat-Based Queries

Use your AI extension's chat panel:

You: "What calls the handlePayment function?"

AI: [uses CKB's getCallGraph]

"handlePayment in internal/payment/handler.go is called by:
- CheckoutController.Process at controllers/checkout.go:45
- RefundController.Execute at controllers/refund.go:78
- WebhookHandler.Payment at webhooks/stripe.go:123

It calls 3 functions: validateCard, chargeCard, sendReceipt."

Inline Chat (Cmd+I / Ctrl+I)

Select code and ask about it:

You: [select a function, press Cmd+I]
"What's the impact of changing this?"

AI: [uses prepareChange]

"This function has 12 callers across 8 files.
Changing it affects:
- 3 controllers
- 2 services
- 15 tests

Risk score: 45 (Medium)"

Ask for navigation help:

You: "Show me the authentication flow"

AI: [uses explore and getCallGraph]

"Authentication flows through:
1. AuthMiddleware (middleware/auth.go:23)
2. TokenService.Validate (services/token.go:45)
3. UserRepository.GetByID (repos/user.go:67)

Click to open: middleware/auth.go:23"

Preset Configuration

Optimize for your workflow:

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "ckb",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tastehub/ckb", "mcp", "--preset=core"]
    }
  ]
}

Presets available:

Preset	Tools	Use Case
`core`	21	General development
`review`	27	PR reviews
`refactor`	33	Code cleanup
`full`	92	All capabilities

Workspace Configuration

For project-specific settings, create .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "ckb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@tastehub/ckb", "mcp", "--preset=review"]
    }
  }
}

This overrides user settings for this workspace.

Common Workflows

Exploring a New Codebase

You: "I'm new here. Give me an overview of this project."

AI: [uses explore and getArchitecture]

"This is a TypeScript/Node.js API server:

src/
├── controllers/  - HTTP handlers (8 files)
├── services/     - Business logic (12 files)
├── models/       - Data models (6 files)
├── utils/        - Helpers (4 files)

Key entry point: src/index.ts
Main patterns: Express.js, Repository pattern, JWT auth

Hotspots (frequently changed):
- src/controllers/user.ts
- src/services/payment.ts"

Pre-Change Analysis

You: "I need to modify the User model. What should I know?"

AI: [uses prepareChange]

"User model analysis:

Dependents: 23 files
- 8 controllers use User
- 5 services process User data
- 10 tests verify User behavior

Database impact:
- users table (direct mapping)
- Migration may be needed for schema changes

Risk: High (core data model)
Suggested reviewers: @alice, @bob"

Finding Dead Code

You: "Is there any unused code in the utils folder?"

AI: [uses findDeadCode]

"Found 3 unused functions in src/utils/:

- formatDate() at date.ts:45 - no callers
- validateEmail() at validation.ts:12 - replaced by library
- logDebug() at logging.ts:78 - test-only usage

Total: 67 lines of dead code"

Troubleshooting

Extension doesn't see CKB tools

Verify CKB is installed: npx @tastehub/ckb --version
Check config file syntax
Reload VS Code window (Cmd+Shift+P → "Reload Window")
Check extension's MCP logs

"Index not found" error

Initialize CKB in your project:

cd /your/project
ckb init

Slow or outdated responses

Update the index:

ckb index

Or enable automatic updates:

ckb watch  # Run in integrated terminal

Permission errors

Ensure you have read access to the project and node_modules.

Tips for VS Code Users

Use Cmd+click navigation alongside CKB - VS Code's built-in navigation complements CKB's semantic analysis
Keep the index fresh - Run ckb watch in VS Code's integrated terminal
Use workspace settings - Different projects can have different presets
Combine with other extensions - CKB works alongside GitLens, Error Lens, etc.

Next Steps

Prompt Cookbook - Ready-to-use prompts
What is MCP? - Understanding the protocol
All Features - Complete feature list

Links:

CKB + VS Code: Adding Semantic Intelligence to Your Editor