Connect Socket to VS Code
Give VS Code governed access to Socket’s 1 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.
Set up
Add Socket to VS Code in four steps
Admins approve the server once. Everyone in VS Code then gets it through the same governed connection.
- 1
Approve Socket in Runlayer
Add Socket from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.
- 2
Connect VS Code to Runlayer
Install the Runlayer CLI so VS Code can reach Socket, which runs on the user’s machine. Auto Sync can then write Socket into VS Code on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
VS Code setup guide - 3
Sign in to Socket
An admin adds Socket credentials to Runlayer once. They never sit in the client’s configuration.
- 4
Use Socket from VS Code
Socket’s approved tools appear in VS Code. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.
Tools
1 Socket tools in VS Code
Runlayer policy decides which of these VS Code users can call. 1 read data only.
Depscore
Query dependency security scores across npm, PyPI, cargo, and other package ecosystems.
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 Socket 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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