Claude Code GUI / ChatUI for VS Code

June 2, 2026 · View on GitHub

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.

Claude Code Chat Icon

VS Code Marketplace Installs GitHub Stars VS Code ≥ 1.94 MIT License Windows 10/11 macOS Supported Cursor Ready

🌐 Languages: English | 简体中文 | 繁體中文

Why This Extension?

FeatureOfficial Claude CodeClaude Code GUI (MaheshKok)Claude Code UI (AuraTech)This Project
Windows No WSL❌ Requires setup❌ Requires CLI configWSL path mapping✅ Native
Third-party API GUI Config❌❌❌✅ Exclusive
MCP Plugin GUI ManagementCLI-level only✅ MCP Hub✅ MCP commands✅ GUI config (Global + Workspace)
Skills System GUICLI-level only❌❌✅ Exclusive
Hooks System GUICLI-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

Main Interface

📅 Recent Updates

VersionDateHighlights
v4.1.32026-06-02Claude Opus 4.8 model support; Opus 4.7 demoted to Previous; Opus 4.5 hidden from UI (kept for history & pricing)
v4.1.22026-05-18Security: npm audit 23→5 vulns; tsconfig strict checks (noImplicitReturns, noUnusedParameters); code dedup: unified escapeHtml, centralized MODEL_DISPLAY_NAMES, generic openModal/closeModal
v4.1.12026-04-21Gemini Vertex AI ADC mode; MCP env backfill fix (APPDATA/PATH/proxy); Windows node stdio wrapper fix; hierarchical auth UI
v4.1.02026-04-16Opus 4.7 model support; xHigh thinking intensity; /ultrareview command; Compute Mode restore bug fix
v4.0.102026-04-13Cursor history crash fix; history panel XSS fix
v4.0.92026-04-02Project metadata & README rewrite for AI search discoverability
v4.0.82026-04-02Codex MCP template, CLAUDE.md conditional injection
v4.0.72026-04-02Stream parser upgrade: 6 bug fixes, new CLI message types
v4.0.52026-03-30AI Assistant Panel: Grok + Vertex AI support; macOS scroll fix
v4.0.22026-03-28Hooks GUI management panel with 26 event types, 4 hook types, 5 templates
v3.1.92026-03-29CSP security policy, XSS fixes, Windows orphan process cleanup
v3.1.82026-03-12Grok MCP template, default model → Sonnet 4.6, cost bubble dedup
v3.1.72026-02-18Claude Sonnet 4.6 model support, Compute Mode upgrade
v3.1.42026-01-29macOS platform support added
v3.1.02026-01-13Skills 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

  1. Install Git for Windows (includes Git Bash)
  2. Install Node.js (LTS version recommended, ≥ 18)
  3. Open PowerShell as Administrator and set environment variable:
setx SHELL "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe"
  1. Restart your computer (required for changes to take effect)

Step 2: Install Claude Code CLI

After restarting, open a new terminal window:

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

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:

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

API 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

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

Direct Link: ➡️ VS Code Marketplace

📦 Method 2: GitHub Release Download

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

🛠️ Method 3: Build from Source

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

If the problem persists, try:

  1. Open system environment variables (Win + X → System → Advanced system settings → Environment Variables)
  2. Ensure PATH contains C:\Program Files\Git\cmd
  3. 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:

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:

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

$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)

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:

# 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):

"files.autoSave": "off"

Or use a less aggressive option:

"files.autoSave": "onWindowChange"

Why this happens:

  1. Claude reads a file and stores its content hash
  2. Auto-save triggers and modifies the file on disk
  3. Claude tries to edit the file, but the hash no longer matches
  4. 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

  1. Fork the project and create a feature branch
  2. Focus on a single new feature or improvement
  3. Test thoroughly on a real Windows environment
  4. 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 ❤️