Claude Code GUI / ChatUI for VS Code

Claude Code ChatUI is a full-featured GUI extension for Claude Code CLI in VS Code and Cursor. Works natively on Windows (no WSL required) and macOS. Supports both official Anthropic accounts and third-party API providers with GUI configuration. Key features: MCP plugin management, Skills system, Hooks system, real-time token & cost tracking, AI Assistant integration (Gemini + Grok), and multi-language UI (English, 简体中文, 繁體中文). Actively maintained with 236+ commits.

🌐 Languages: English | 简体中文 | 繁體中文

Note: This extension automates the official claude interactive CLI to provide a GUI. It does not modify authentication, proxy network traffic, or touch your credentials — it reuses your already-logged-in subscription. Please review and comply with Anthropic's Terms of Service.

Why This Extension?

Feature	Official Claude Code	Claude Code GUI (MaheshKok)	Claude Code UI (AuraTech)	This Project
Windows No WSL	❌ Requires setup	❌ Requires CLI config	WSL path mapping	✅ Native
Third-party API GUI Config	❌	❌	❌	✅ Exclusive
MCP Plugin GUI Management	CLI-level only	✅ MCP Hub	✅ MCP commands	✅ GUI config (Global + Workspace)
Skills System GUI	CLI-level only	❌	❌	✅ Exclusive
Hooks System GUI	CLI-level only	❌	❌	✅ Exclusive
AI Assistant Integration	❌	❌	❌	✅ Gemini + Grok
Real-time Token Tracking	❌	✅ Usage meter	✅ Cost tracking	✅
macOS Support	✅	✅	✅	✅
npm + Native Installer	✅	✅	✅	✅
Actively Maintained	✅	✅	✅	✅ (236+ commits)

📸 Preview

📅 Recent Updates

Version	Date	Highlights
v5.0.7	2026-06-16	Fixes the extension failing to run on a freshly-installed machine — a new machine shows two startup gates in sequence (workspace-trust + bypass-permissions warning) but the driver only answered one, so the first prompt's Enter hit the second dialog's "No, exit" and `claude` exited code 1 in a re-spawn loop. Both gate types are now tracked independently and scanned for ~25s post-spawn
v5.0.6	2026-06-15	Fixes editing a skill/hook/any `.claude/` file freezing the turn ~69s (the CLI's self-edit confirmation menu, unanswered by the PTY driver under `bypassPermissions`, is now auto-accepted session-wide). Disables the framework's lossy auto-compaction by default (`DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT=1`; manual `/compact` still works). Restores inline rendering of subagent (Agent/Task) tool steps without double-counting their tokens. Raises the Context Window default 200K→400K
v5.0.5	2026-06-15	Fixes messages being silently swallowed after a `/compact` or a session switch (the provider-wide compact-mode flag now resets on every session switch, and a send during compaction is visibly rejected instead of lost). Also shrinks the oversized QUESTION option-card title (`.ask-question-header` 14px→13px) so it no longer towers over the conversation badges
v5.0.4	2026-06-15	Packaging fix — the v5.0.3 VSIX shipped with zero `node_modules` (`--no-dependencies` dropped the native `node-pty` runtime), so it installed but the chat panel wouldn't open. node-pty's win32-x64 binaries are now bundled correctly
v5.0.3	2026-06-15	Interactive option cards — Claude emits a fenced ```ask block (native `AskUserQuestion` disabled) that renders as clickable single/multi-select cards; clicking injects the chosen label as the next turn. Fixes the "still processing" lock when an ask block follows a tool call (`stop_reason: null`), plus card layout/typography polish
v5.0.2	2026-06-14	First-turn image vision via staged PTY injection — pasted/selected images arrive as a native `[Image #N]` multimodal attachment (0 `Read`, no "I don't see an image"); idempotent under the reinject watchdog; graceful degrade to `Read` if no chip; CJK/space paths + multi-image verified
v5.0.1	2026-06-13	PTY interactive driver replaces `claude -p` (usage bills against your subscription); output read from transcript JSONL; permission mode setting; optional Stop hook completion fallback; win32-x64 only
v4.1.3	2026-06-02	Claude Opus 4.8 model support; Opus 4.7 demoted to Previous; Opus 4.5 hidden from UI (kept for history & pricing)
v4.1.2	2026-05-18	Security: npm audit 23→5 vulns; tsconfig strict checks (noImplicitReturns, noUnusedParameters); code dedup: unified escapeHtml, centralized MODEL_DISPLAY_NAMES, generic openModal/closeModal
v4.1.1	2026-04-21	Gemini Vertex AI ADC mode; MCP env backfill fix (APPDATA/PATH/proxy); Windows `node` stdio wrapper fix; hierarchical auth UI
v4.1.0	2026-04-16	Opus 4.7 model support; xHigh thinking intensity; /ultrareview command; Compute Mode restore bug fix
v4.0.10	2026-04-13	Cursor history crash fix; history panel XSS fix
v4.0.9	2026-04-02	Project metadata & README rewrite for AI search discoverability
v4.0.8	2026-04-02	Codex MCP template, CLAUDE.md conditional injection
v4.0.7	2026-04-02	Stream parser upgrade: 6 bug fixes, new CLI message types
v4.0.5	2026-03-30	AI Assistant Panel: Grok + Vertex AI support; macOS scroll fix
v4.0.2	2026-03-28	Hooks GUI management panel with 26 event types, 4 hook types, 5 templates
v3.1.9	2026-03-29	CSP security policy, XSS fixes, Windows orphan process cleanup
v3.1.8	2026-03-12	Grok MCP template, default model → Sonnet 4.6, cost bubble dedup
v3.1.7	2026-02-18	Claude Sonnet 4.6 model support, Compute Mode upgrade
v3.1.4	2026-01-29	macOS platform support added
v3.1.0	2026-01-13	Skills panel: copy, enable/disable toggle, plugin protection
v2.1.0	—	MCP integration, HTTP/SSE transport, server templates
v2.0.0	—	Complete UI redesign, statistics dashboard, custom API endpoint

See CHANGELOG.md for full details.

🚀 Quick Start

Step 1: Environment Setup

Install Git for Windows (includes Git Bash)
Install Node.js (LTS version recommended, ≥ 18)
Open PowerShell as Administrator and set environment variable:

hljs language-powershell

setx SHELL "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe"

Restart your computer (required for changes to take effect)

Step 2: Install Claude Code CLI

After restarting, open a new terminal window:

hljs language-powershell

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

⚠️ VPN Users: Please ensure TUN mode is enabled throughout the installation and usage process, otherwise you may not be able to connect to Claude services.

Step 3: Log in to Claude Code

Using Official Account

hljs language-powershell

claude

A browser window will open for authorization. Log in and copy the token back to the terminal.

Using 🔑 Third-Party API

If you're using a third-party API, configure it in the extension:

Press Ctrl+Shift+C to open the chat interface
Click the settings button ⚙️ in the top right corner
Check "Use Custom API Endpoint"
Enter your API key in the API Key field (e.g., sk-ant-xxxxxxxxxx)
Enter the API address in the Base URL field (e.g., https://v3.codesome.cn)
Settings are saved automatically. "Settings updated successfully" confirms the configuration

Switch back to official account: Uncheck "Use Custom API Endpoint".

💡 Tips:

If the API key is incorrect, chat will show "processing" until timeout

You can switch between official account and third-party API anytime via the toggle

💡 This extension supports various third-party API services (e.g., v3.codesome.cn, openrouter.ai). Please consult your API provider for the specific URL.

Step 4: Install the Extension

✨ Method 1: VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

Open VS Code or Cursor
Press Ctrl+Shift+X to open Extensions
Search for Claude-Code ChatUI or lkbaba
Click Install

Direct Link: ➡️ VS Code Marketplace

📦 Method 2: GitHub Release Download

🔗 Go to Releases page
Download the .vsix file
In VS Code, press Ctrl+Shift+P, select "Extensions: Install from VSIX..."

🛠️ Method 3: Build from Source

hljs language-powershell

git clone https://github.com/LKbaba/Claude-code-ChatInWindows.git
cd Claude-code-ChatInWindows
npm install
npm run package
# The generated .vsix file is in the project root, install using Method 2

Step 5: Start Using

Open Chat Interface: Press Ctrl+Shift+C
File Explorer Icon: Click the icon next to the new folder button

❓ FAQ

Q: Getting "No suitable shell found" error?

Make sure Git for Windows is installed
Run as administrator: setx SHELL "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe"
Restart your computer (required for changes to take effect)

If the problem persists, try:

Open system environment variables (Win + X → System → Advanced system settings → Environment Variables)
Ensure PATH contains C:\Program Files\Git\cmd
Restart your computer

Q: Third-party API configured but chat not responding?

Claude Code CLI sometimes needs to be initialized in the command line first. Run in PowerShell:

hljs language-powershell

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Force
$Env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY  = "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
$Env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://v3.codesome.cn"
claude

If the problem persists, try updating Claude Code CLI:

hljs language-powershell

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest

Q: Third-party API stops working after computer restart?

Environment variables $Env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and $Env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL are temporary and will be lost after restart.

Two solutions:

Option 1: Reset after each restart

hljs language-powershell

$Env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY  = "your API Key"
$Env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://v3.codesome.cn"
claude

Option 2: Set as permanent environment variables (run as administrator)

hljs language-powershell

setx ANTHROPIC_API_KEY "your API Key"
setx ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL "https://v3.codesome.cn"
# Restart computer for changes to take effect

Q: Getting "rg: command not found" error?

This is optional and doesn't affect normal usage. If you want to install ripgrep for better search performance:

hljs language-bash

# In Git Bash:
curl -L https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep/releases/download/14.1.0/ripgrep-14.1.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip -o ripgrep.zip
unzip ripgrep.zip && mkdir -p ~/bin
cp ripgrep-14.1.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/rg.exe ~/bin/
echo 'alias rg="~/bin/rg"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

Note: The extension's built-in Grep tool works fine without ripgrep.

Q: Getting "File has been unexpectedly modified" error when Claude edits files?

This error occurs when VS Code/Cursor's auto-save feature modifies files between Claude's Read and Edit operations.

Solution: Disable auto-save

Add this to your VS Code/Cursor settings (settings.json):

hljs language-json

"files.autoSave": "off"

Or use a less aggressive option:

hljs language-json

"files.autoSave": "onWindowChange"

Why this happens:

Claude reads a file and stores its content hash
Auto-save triggers and modifies the file on disk
Claude tries to edit the file, but the hash no longer matches
Claude reports "File has been unexpectedly modified"

Other settings that can cause this issue:

editor.formatOnSave: true - Formatters modify file content on save
files.trimTrailingWhitespace: true - Removes trailing spaces on save
files.insertFinalNewline: true - Adds newline at end of file

If you need these features, consider disabling them temporarily when using Claude Code.

🤝 How to Contribute

Fork the project and create a feature branch
Focus on a single new feature or improvement
Test thoroughly on a real Windows environment
Submit a Pull Request with clear description

Welcome all AI engineers, developers, and geeks on Windows!

📝 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

andrepimenta – Original project claude-code-chat
Mrasxieyang (linux.do community) – Provided the core solution for native Windows installation
Anthropic – For creating the powerful Claude and Claude Code
All developers contributing to the Claude Code ecosystem ❤️

Claude-code-ChatInWindows

Claude Code GUI / ChatUI for VS Code

Why This Extension?

📸 Preview

📅 Recent Updates

🚀 Quick Start

Step 1: Environment Setup

Step 2: Install Claude Code CLI

Step 3: Log in to Claude Code

Using Official Account

Using 🔑 Third-Party API

Step 4: Install the Extension

✨ Method 1: VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

📦 Method 2: GitHub Release Download

🛠️ Method 3: Build from Source

Step 5: Start Using

❓ FAQ

🤝 How to Contribute

📝 License

🙏 Acknowledgments

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