desktop-vscode-bridge

Claude Desktop ↔ VS Code Bridge

Overview

Claude Desktop and VS Code Claude Code serve different roles. Desktop is fast for planning and multi-project chat. VS Code has file access and terminal for actual coding. This skill covers the workflow for using both together and keeping projects synced.

When to Use Each Tool

Task	Use
Planning, brainstorming, Q&A	Desktop
Writing/editing code	VS Code
Multi-project context switching	Desktop
Running terminal commands	VS Code
Background processing (keep running while you switch)	Desktop
Deep single-project work	VS Code

Key Behavioral Differences

	Desktop	VS Code
Project switch speed	Instant	Slow (full reload)
Background processing	Continues	Killed on switch
File editing	No (shell workaround)	Native
Know which project	Sidebar list	Title bar / status bar
Multi-project simultaneous	Yes	Needs 2 windows

Project Sync: VS Code PM ↔ Desktop

VS Code Project Manager is the source of truth for local project paths. Claude Desktop projects are cloud conversation workspaces — matched by name convention.

Naming Convention

Use the same name in both tools so you can instantly match them:

• PM project name: CKB Planogram Import Export
• Desktop project name: CKB Planogram Import Export

Register a New Project

Use register-project.ps1 to add a project to VS Code PM from anywhere:

# Add a project
.\register-project.ps1 -Name "My Project" -Path "C:\source\repos\MyProject"

# List all registered projects
.\register-project.ps1 -List

Then create a matching project in Claude Desktop with the same name.

Identifying Your Current Project

• VS Code: Look at the status bar (bottom of window) — shows workspace name
• Desktop: Look at the sidebar — active project is highlighted
• VS Code title bar: Shows full folder path if status bar is ambiguous

Recommended Workflow

1. Plan in Desktop — fast switching, no reload friction
2. Bring plan to VS Code — open the matching project via Project Manager
3. Build in VS Code — file edits, terminal commands, Claude Code
4. Switch back to Desktop to plan next phase or work a different project

Setup: GitHub Connector in Desktop

Required for skill marketplace access:

1. Desktop → Settings → Connections → GitHub → Sign in
2. Browser opens → authenticate with company Google account
3. If already logged into GitHub in browser, approves automatically