# Vscode

VS Code integration for viewing diffs and comparing files.

- Repository: https://github.com/badlogic/pi-skills (2648 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-06-06
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add badlogic/pi-skills --skill vscode -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add badlogic/pi-skills --skill vscode -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add badlogic/pi-skills --skill vscode -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add badlogic/pi-skills --skill vscode -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

VS Code integration for viewing diffs and comparing files. Use when showing file differences to the user.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# VS Code CLI Tools

Tools for integrating with VS Code, primarily for viewing diffs.

## Requirements

VS Code must be installed with the `code` CLI available in PATH.

## Opening a Diff

Compare two files side by side in VS Code:

```bash
code -d <file1> <file2>
```

## Git Diffs in VS Code

### Simple Approach (no config needed)

Extract the old version to a temp file, then diff:

```bash
# Compare with previous commit
git show HEAD~1:path/to/file > /tmp/old && code -d /tmp/old path/to/file

# Compare with specific commit
git show abc123:path/to/file > /tmp/old && code -d /tmp/old path/to/file

# Compare staged version with working tree
git show :path/to/file > /tmp/staged && code -d /tmp/staged path/to/file
```

### Gotchas

- File must exist and have changes between the compared revisions
- Use `git log --oneline -5 -- path/to/file` to verify file has history before diffing

## When to Use

- Showing the user what changed in a file
- Comparing two versions of code
- Reviewing git changes visually