# Install code-cli with Homebrew, Nix, pacman Command-line interface built-in Visual Studio Code. Version 1.128.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-08. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:code-cli ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install code-cli ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#code ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/co/code/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S code ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: code from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:code-cli - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.128.0 - **Source summary:** Command-line interface built-in Visual Studio Code - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-08T09:44:28Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - code (cli) - code (alias) ## Dependencies - openssl@4 ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - rust ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.128.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-08 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode - Upstream latest detected: 1.128.0 (current) ## Project history and usage The Visual Studio Code CLI is the command-line surface of VS Code, exposed as the `code` command. It lets users launch the editor, open files and folders, manage extensions, inspect status, and create remote tunnels from a terminal. ### Project history VS Code was announced in 2015 as Microsoft's cross-platform editor. Later that year the November 2015 Beta release made the Code OSS project open source and added extension support. The `code` command became part of the product's developer workflow: the official CLI docs describe it as built in and document editor launch, file navigation, extension management, chat, diagnostics, and tunneling. ### Adoption history Microsoft's 1.0 announcement reported 2 million installs and more than 500,000 monthly active developers by April 2016. The CLI followed VS Code's adoption because `code .` became the normal bridge between shell workflows and the editor. The input also records package-manager distribution for the CLI through Homebrew, Nix, and pacman. ### How it is used Common usage includes `code .` to open the current directory, file arguments to open or create files, `--install-extension` and `--list-extensions` for extension workflows, `--user-data-dir` for isolated instances, and `code tunnel` for remote tunnel setup. ### Why package nerds care For package-manager users, `code-cli` matters because it splits the terminal command from the desktop app story. A working `code` executable is what lets editors participate in Unix-style workflows: scripts can open files, shells can jump into projects, and remote machines can expose VS Code access without starting from a GUI installer. ### Timeline - 2015: Visual Studio Code announced at Build. - 2015: November Beta made VS Code open source and added extensions. - 2016: Visual Studio Code 1.0 released with reported 2 million installs and 500,000 monthly active developers. - 2026: Official CLI docs cover built-in `code` command workflows, chat subcommands, and remote tunnels. ### Related projects - Related projects and surfaces include the microsoft/vscode Code OSS repository, the VS Code desktop product, VS Code Insiders, Remote Tunnels, the extension marketplace, and downstream open-source builds such as Code OSS packages. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for code-cli. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Linux: ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json, .vscode/settings.json - macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json, .vscode/settings.json - Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json, .vscode\settings.json ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** code-cli - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - code: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/co/code/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman - code - 1.123.0-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: code from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | The Open Source build of Visual Studio Code (vscode) editor | https://github.com/microsoft/vscode ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [openssl@4](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openssl-4/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [neovide](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovide/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [neovim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovim/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [neovim-qt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovim-qt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [hexer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hexer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [hexhog](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hexhog/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [hyx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hyx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [neovim-remote](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovim-remote/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [poke](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/poke/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor. - [vsce](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/vsce/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, code, developer, developer-tools, extensions. - [code-server](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/code-server/) - Package names and metadata indicate a similar tool family. Shared terms: cli, code, developer, developer-tools, vscode. - [vscode-extension-tester](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/npm/vscode-extension-tester/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, code, developer, developer-tools, extensions. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/code-cli.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/code-cli.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph