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Connect Runlayer to VS Code

Give VS Code governed access to Runlayer’s 139 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

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Set up

Add Runlayer 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 Runlayer in Runlayer

    Add Runlayer 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, Runlayer’s 139 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 Runlayer

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

  4. 4

    Use Runlayer from VS Code

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

Tools

139 Runlayer tools in VS Code

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

  • Add agent connectors

    Add or update connectors on an agent (incremental edit).

  • Add agent skills

    Add skills to an agent (incremental edit).

  • Add agent subagent

    Add one subagent to an existing agent.

  • Add AI watch enforce entry

    Put one source in an Enforce allowlist or Protect denylist.

  • Add plugin connectors

    Add or update connectors on a plugin (incremental edit).

  • Add plugin skills

    Add skills to a plugin (incremental edit).

  • Create agent

    Create a new agent.

  • Create agent eval

    Create an offline eval run: replay selected past agent runs, optionally with overrides, and judge the replays.

See all 139 Runlayer 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 Runlayer 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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