Copy Code Reference for AI

Copy code references — @src/foo.ts#10-20 (relative) or @/Users/you/project/src/foo.ts#10-20 (absolute) — straight to the clipboard, ready to paste into Claude Code, the built-in VS Code Chat, or any other AI input.

Works with both VS Code and Cursor.

Commands

• With just a caret (no selection), each command copies a single-line reference (e.g. @src/foo.ts#10).
• Copy Code Reference as... appears in the editor's right-click menu under the Copy/Paste section.
• Rebind either shortcut independently from VS Code's Keyboard Shortcuts UI. Note that Ctrl+Shift+C / Cmd+Shift+C overrides VS Code's built-in Open New External Terminal; rebind there if you need it back. On macOS Shift+Alt+C is otherwise free, but binding it means the editor no longer types Ç.
• The relative command falls back to the absolute path when the file is outside every workspace folder.
• In a multi-root workspace the relative path is prefixed with the workspace folder name, so src/app.ts in two roots stays unambiguous.
• The remote reference command copies a GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket permalink. After copying, a prompt offers to Open in Browser.

"Copy as..." quick-pick

The Copy Code Reference as... command opens a menu with a live preview of each option for your current selection:

$(file-code) Code reference          @src/reference.ts#13-19
             format: claude-code
$(file) File only (no line numbers)  @src/reference.ts
$(link) Remote Permalink             https://github.com/owner/repo/blob/abc/src/reference.ts#L13-L19

Pick one and it copies immediately.

The menu does not list every format profile — it shows what your format setting currently produces. Change the format in Settings, not here; modern AI agents parse all of the variants anyway, so the pick that matters is reference vs. whole file vs. permalink.

File only (no line numbers) copies @src/foo.ts — for pointing an AI agent at a whole file rather than a range.

Settings

Every setting is optional — the defaults above are used when a setting is absent. The block below lists all settings at their default values:

{
  "copyCodeRefForAi.format": "claude-code",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.prefix": "@",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.pathLineSeparator": ":",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.lineRangeSeparator": "-",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.remoteRef": "commit"
}

Format profiles

Set copyCodeRefForAi.format to one of the built-in profiles to switch formats without touching the individual separator settings:

The exact separator rarely matters — current AI agents recognise all of these. Set "custom" only if you need a shape none of the profiles produce.

Output format examples

• Default (claude-code): @src/foo.ts#10-20
• Single line (no selection): @src/foo.ts#10
• Absolute: @/Users/you/project/src/foo.ts#10-20
• File only, from the quick-pick: @src/foo.ts
• Remote (GitHub): https://github.com/owner/repo/blob/abc123/path/file.ts#L10-L20

Example settings.json

{
  "copyCodeRefForAi.format": "opencode",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.remoteRef": "branch"
}

Or with full custom separators:

{
  "copyCodeRefForAi.format": "custom",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.prefix": "@",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.pathLineSeparator": ":",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.lineRangeSeparator": "-",
  "copyCodeRefForAi.remoteRef": "commit"
}

Notes

Claude Code may auto-convert @file:line to @file#line — both formats resolve to the same lines.