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Connect Drata to VS Code

Give VS Code governed access to Drata’s 38 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

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Set up

Add Drata to VS Code in four steps

Admins approve the server once. Everyone in VS Code then gets it through the same governed connection.

  1. 1

    Approve Drata in Runlayer

    Add Drata from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.

  2. 2

    Connect VS Code to Runlayer

    Runlayer’s CLI installs the Runlayer Plugin natively in VS Code; users can also add it over MCP. With direct tool listing turned on for your deployment, Drata’s 38 tools show up in VS Code’s own tool list (VS Code 1.103 or newer).

    VS Code setup guide
  3. 3

    Sign in to Drata

    Sign in the way Drata requires. Runlayer holds the credentials so they stay out of the client’s configuration.

  4. 4

    Use Drata from VS Code

    Drata’s approved tools appear in VS Code. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.

Tools

38 Drata tools in VS Code

Runlayer policy decides which of these VS Code users can call.

  • Create background check

    File a Background Check for a personnel record, evidenced by a URL.

  • Create control

    Create a new compliance control in a workspace.

  • Create evidence

    Register a new evidence bucket in Drata's reusable Evidence Library.

  • Create risk

    Create a new custom risk in a risk register.

  • Create vendor

    Create a new third-party vendor for the account (TPRM).

  • Delete evidence

    Permanently delete an ENTIRE evidence bucket -- the folder AND every file in it, plus all version history and control linkages.

  • Delete evidence artifact

    Permanently delete ONE file from an evidence bucket, including that file's entire version history.

  • Delete risk

    Permanently delete a single risk from a risk register.

See all 38 Drata tools

Control

What Runlayer can see and stop in VS Code

Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what VS Code exposes to Runlayer.

  • Gateway policy (available)

    Every Drata call from VS Code passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.

  • Audit trail (available)

    Each call is recorded with the user, VS Code as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.

  • Client hooks (available)

    Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.

  • Stop a call before it runs (available)

    Runlayer can deny a tool call before VS Code runs it.

  • Block output after it runs (available)

    Runlayer can block a tool’s output before VS Code’s model sees it.

  • Redact output in place (available)

    Runlayer can mask sensitive parts of a tool’s output in VS Code and pass the rest through.

Frequently asked questions

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