Cortex AI for VS Code

A VS Code extension for Cortex, the AI-powered package manager for Linux.

What is Cortex?

Cortex is a command-line tool that translates natural language into Linux package installation commands. Instead of memorizing package names, you describe what you need:

cortex install "something to edit PDFs"
cortex install "web server for static sites"

Cortex uses AI (Claude, OpenAI, or local Ollama) to interpret your request and generate safe, validated apt commands.

Features

• Automatic CLI Installation: Cortex CLI is automatically installed when you first use the extension (via pip)
• Command Palette Integration: Cortex: Run Command (Ctrl+Shift+C / Cmd+Shift+C)
• Side Panel: Copilot-like chat interface for natural language queries
• Status Bar Indicator: Shows connection status and configured provider
• Secure API Key Storage: API keys stored securely using VS Code's Secret Storage
• Multiple LLM Providers: Support for Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT-4, and local Ollama
• Integrated Terminal: Commands execute in VS Code's integrated terminal
• WSL Support: Works on Windows via WSL

Supported Platforms

• Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+, Debian 12+)
• Windows via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
• Remote SSH to Linux servers
• Dev Containers (Linux-based)

macOS and native Windows are not supported (Cortex requires apt/Linux).

Prerequisites

• Python & pip: Required for automatic Cortex CLI installation

  # Ubuntu/Debian
  sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

Note: The Cortex CLI (cortex-apt-cli) is automatically installed via pip when you first use the extension. No manual installation is required!

Getting Started

1. Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace

2. The extension will prompt you to install Cortex CLI if not already installed

   • Click "Install Cortex CLI" when prompted
   • The installation runs via pip install cortex-apt-cli

3. Configure your API provider:

   • Open Command Palette → Cortex: Set API Key
   • Choose your provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, or Ollama)
   • Enter your API key (not required for Ollama)

4. Start using Cortex:

   • Press Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+C (macOS)
   • Or open the Cortex panel from the Activity Bar

Commands

Command	Keybinding	Description
Cortex: Run Command	Ctrl+Shift+C	Quick input for natural language queries
Cortex: Open Panel	-	Open the Cortex side panel
Cortex: Set API Key	-	Configure API key for your LLM provider
Cortex: Clear API Key	-	Remove stored API keys
Cortex: Check Connection Status	-	View current configuration and status
Cortex: Install CLI	-	Manually install/reinstall Cortex CLI

Settings

Setting	Default	Description
cortex.llmProvider	anthropic	LLM provider (anthropic, openai, ollama)
cortex.ollamaEndpoint	http://localhost:11434	Ollama API endpoint

Usage Examples

In the Cortex panel or command input:

• nginx with SSL support → Runs cortex install "nginx with SSL support" --dry-run
• docker and docker-compose → Runs cortex install "docker and docker-compose" --dry-run
• cortex history → Shows installation history
• cortex rollback <id> → Undoes an installation

To actually execute (not just preview):

• cortex install nginx --execute

Known Limitations

• Linux only: Cortex wraps apt and is designed for Debian-based systems
• Python/pip required: Automatic CLI installation requires Python and pip
• API key required: Without a configured LLM provider (or Ollama), Cortex cannot interpret prompts

Links

• Cortex GitHub
• Cortex Documentation
• Report Issues

License

Apache-2.0