CodeCritic extensionfor VS Code and Cursor
The CodeCritic extension adds AI code review inside your editor - not a Cursor-vs-VS-Code comparison. Install from the Visual Studio Marketplace or Cursor Extensions (Open VSX), then review a selection, file, or folder without leaving the IDE. Same engine and billing as the web app, with Fix in Chat for your AI coding assistant.
Sidebar that stays with you
Open the CodeCritic activity bar for API key status, one-click review actions, and recent reviews in the current workspace.
Results in a branded panel
Score, issues, suggestions, and Trust focus open beside your code. Jump to mapped lines, mark items done or dismissed, and send a finding prompt to Copilot, Cursor Chat, or the clipboard.
Same account as the web app
Paste an API key from Dashboard → Settings. Reviews count against your plan limits - no separate extension billing.
What you can review from the editor
Pick the smallest useful scope so feedback arrives fast and stays actionable.
- Selection - highlight a function or diff hunk and run CodeCritic: Review selection from the context menu or sidebar.
- Active file - send the whole buffer when you want a file-level pass before commit.
- Multiple files or a folder - pick paths when a change spans several modules (size limits apply).
- Open last result - refetch the most recent review UUID for this workspace if the panel closed during polling.
Workflow
How teams wire it
- 1
Install from the official store
In VS Code use the Visual Studio Marketplace. In Cursor search Extensions or install from Open VSX. Extension ID: CodeCritic.codecritic-vscode.
- 2
Set your API key
Open the CodeCritic sidebar or run CodeCritic: Set API key. Copy the key from Dashboard → Settings → API key; it is stored in Secret Storage.
- 3
Run a review
Use the sidebar buttons, Command Palette, or editor context menu on a selection or file.
- 4
Act on findings
Mark as done or Dismiss, jump to lines when mapping is available, and use Fix in Chat to hand a ready prompt to your AI assistant.
Overview
Why review in the editor
Most AI-assisted code never waits for a pull request. Authors want a second opinion while the file is still open - before the change becomes a multi-file PR or a noisy CI comment thread.
The CodeCritic extension keeps that loop local: create a review with your API key, watch progress, then triage findings next to the source. CI and GitHub Action remain the team gate; the extension is the personal first pass.
What this page is (and is not)
This page is about installing and using the CodeCritic AI code review extension in Visual Studio Code or Cursor. It is not a guide comparing Cursor vs VS Code as editors, and it is not an unofficial “Cursor for VS Code” plugin from another vendor.
If you already use Cursor or VS Code and want structured findings (security, bugs, correctness) with Fix in Chat, you are in the right place. Extension ID: CodeCritic.codecritic-vscode.
VS Code and Cursor install paths
Visual Studio Code installs from the Microsoft Visual Studio Marketplace listing for publisher CodeCritic. Cursor uses an Open VSX-compatible marketplace - search CodeCritic in Extensions or open the Open VSX page for the same extension ID.
If search lags the registry index, install by ID (CodeCritic.codecritic-vscode) or sideload a release build from the codecritic-vscode GitHub repository. Prefer marketplace installs so updates arrive through the editor.
Checklist
- API host vs website Keep codecritic.apiBaseUrl on the API host (default https://api.code-critic.com), not the marketing site.
- Paste the key cleanly Use only the hex key from the dashboard. Reload the window after saving if auth fails on the first try.
- Scope the payload Combined source is capped (default 20,000 characters). Prefer selection or a few files over huge folders.
FAQ
Common questions
Get an API key, then install
Sign up free, copy your API key from Dashboard → Settings, install CodeCritic from the marketplace, and run your first in-editor review.