SecretScan PR is a powerful VS Code extension that detects API keys, tokens, and other secrets in your codebase to prevent accidental leaks.
Features
- Real-time scanning: Automatically detects hardcoded secrets (API keys, tokens, credentials) on file save.
- Visual Feedback: Highlights exposed secrets directly in your editor with warning/error squiggles.
- Cross-platform support: Works seamlessly on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Command Palette Integration: Easily trigger manual scans across your current file.
Configuration
Customize the extension from VS Code settings (coming soon):
secret-scanner.autoScanOnSave: Automatically scan when a file is saved (Default:true)
Commands
Use the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):
SecretScanner: Scan Current File
📦 Requirements & Setup
This extension acts as an intelligent bridge to the secret-scanner-cl Python CLI.
Prerequisites
You must have Python installed on your system.
Automatic Global Installation
For the extension to work, simply install the core scanner globally via pip:
pip install secret-scanner-cl
Once installed, the extension will automatically detect the secret-scanner command and highlight any vulnerabilities in your workspace.
How it Works
- When you save a file (
Ctrl+S), the extension runs the Python CLI in the background. - The CLI returns a detailed JSON report.
- The extension parses the report and maps the vulnerabilities to precise line numbers in your editor.