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Install CodeBuddy: Plugin, IDE or CLI

AI Coding

Published 2026-11-03

Pick Your Form First

Before installing, decide where you actually write code. Picking the wrong form creates unnecessary migration work.

  • VS Code or JetBrains users with a mature setup — install the plugin and leave your existing ecosystem alone.
  • People who want everything working out of the box and are open to a new editor — install CodeBuddy IDE.
  • People who work in the terminal and need scripts or batch jobs — use the CLI.

They aren't mutually exclusive. Start with the plugin and add the CLI once you're comfortable.

Install the VS Code Plugin

  1. Open the Extensions panel, search for CodeBuddy and install it.
  2. An entry appears in the sidebar once it's installed. Open it and sign in.
  3. Complete authorization as prompted, then return to the editor to start a conversation.

If the interface doesn't respond after sign-in, restart the editor first. If that doesn't help, check that the plugin version matches your editor version.

Install the JetBrains Plugin

Search for and install it from the plugin marketplace in IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and similar editors, then restart and sign in. This suits people working mainly on Java, Python or full-stack projects who don't want to change editors. The rule is the same as above: if you can stay in your current environment, stay.

CodeBuddy IDE

If you'd rather skip plugin setup, download CodeBuddy IDE. Sign in after installing and every mode is available, with the interface built around conversations and tasks. It suits people who make AI their primary way of developing; if you depend heavily on a specific editor-only plugin, staying with the plugin form is more stable for now.

CLI: npm Install and the First /init

  1. Install it globally with npm, then run codebuddy in your terminal to start the interactive interface.
  2. Once inside your project directory, run /init first to build a project knowledge graph. Re-run it on first use and after major changes — later answers and edits will be much more accurate.
  3. For a one-off task, use codebuddy -p "your request". Add -y when it needs to read or write files or run commands.
  4. Switch permission modes with Shift+Tab (macOS / Linux) or Alt+M (Windows).

Your First Conversation: Shortcuts and @ References

  • Inline chat: ⌘+I (macOS) / Ctrl+I (Windows) to ask a question or rewrite that piece of code right at the cursor.
  • Sidebar: Ctrl+⌘+I / Ctrl+Win+I, better for longer conversations and multi-turn tasks.
  • @ references: use @ to point at a file, folder or snippet and hand over the context explicitly. Far more reliable than letting it guess.
  • You can also paste a screenshot or import a Figma link as input.

Three Checks After Install, Plus Common Traps

  1. Ask a question about the current project in Ask mode and confirm it can read your files.
  2. Reference a file with @ and have it explain that file's responsibility — check the reference actually took effect.
  3. Put the cursor on a single line, use the inline shortcut and request a minimal change. Confirm the edit lands only where you expected.

Three frequent issues, worth noting now. If answers are vague, the context is probably incomplete — point at files with @ and ask again. If the CLI keeps asking for authorization, check whether you left out -y, and pay attention to which files it's actually editing rather than approving by default. If you can't decide which form to install, run the plugin for a week and only consider the IDE or CLI once you hit a concrete pain point.

What's Next

Installing is just the start. The next step is understanding which tasks suit each of the three modes. For related tools, visit the tool library; for a structured learning path, see the learning center. Current as of 2026-11; check the official docs for installation steps and shortcuts.

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