Claude Launcher
Launch Claude Code sessions as VS Code editor tabs, not buried in the terminal.
Claude Launcher is a free Visual Studio Code extension by Square that opens Claude Code sessions directly inside editor tabs. Click the sparkle icon in the status bar and a new Claude session opens as a draggable tab alongside your code. Run several at once; a counter shows how many are active, and closing a tab cleans up its session. No more switching between the terminal panel and your editor to work with Claude Code.
- Platform
- Visual Studio Code (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Built by
- Square Software SHPK
Features
One-click launch
A sparkle button in the status bar starts a new Claude Code session instantly, no commands to remember.
Sessions as editor tabs
Each session opens as a draggable editor tab you can arrange next to your code, instead of being stuck in a terminal panel.
Multiple concurrent sessions
Run several Claude sessions at once, each tracked by an active-session counter so you always know what’s open.
Automatic cleanup
Close a tab and its session is cleaned up automatically, no orphaned processes left behind.
Requirements
- Visual Studio Code
- The Claude Code CLI (for example npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
- An active Anthropic API key or Claude subscription
FAQ
Is Claude Launcher free?
Yes. Claude Launcher is published free on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. You only need your own Claude Code access (an Anthropic API key or a Claude subscription).
What do I need to use it?
VS Code, the Claude Code CLI installed, and an active Anthropic API key or Claude subscription.
Does it work on Windows, macOS and Linux?
Yes. It runs anywhere VS Code and the Claude Code CLI run, which covers Windows, macOS and Linux.
Who builds it?
Square Software SHPK, a software development company. We built Claude Launcher for our own workflow and released it free for the community.