CollabCode

CollabCode brings invite-only collaborative coding to VS Code with shared scratch documents, room chat, live cursors, and teacher-led session controls.

Best Fit

• Classroom labs and live teaching sessions
• Mentoring, interview practice, and code walkthroughs
• Pair programming in temporary rooms
• Lightweight collaboration without leaving VS Code

What You Get

• Hosted-first setup with no backend configuration required for the default experience
• Invite-only rooms with separate teacher and student tokens
• Shared scratch documents seeded from the active editor's file name, language, and contents
• Live cursor and selection sharing
• Room chat inside VS Code
• Teacher mode for read-only sessions and collaboration mode for shared editing
• Automatic reconnect behavior when the network drops temporarily

Install

1. Install CollabCode from the VS Code Marketplace or from a VSIX package.
2. Optionally set your display name in collabCode.userName.
3. Run CollabCode: Create Room to start a session or CollabCode: Join Room to enter one.

Create a Session

1. Open the file you want to use as the starting point for the room.
2. Run CollabCode: Create Room.
3. Enter a room ID and your display name.
4. CollabCode copies the student invite token to your clipboard and shows both invite tokens in a document.
5. Share only the student invite token with collaborators.

Join a Session

1. Run CollabCode: Join Room.
2. Paste the teacher or student invite token.
3. Enter your display name.
4. CollabCode opens the shared session in a dedicated scratch document and connects you to the room sidebar.

Commands

• CollabCode: Create Room - Create a new collaboration room from the current editor context.
• CollabCode: Join Room - Join an existing room with a teacher or student invite token.
• CollabCode: Leave Room - Disconnect from the active room.
• CollabCode: Set Teacher Mode - Make the room read-only for students.
• CollabCode: Set Collaboration Mode - Allow everyone in the room to edit.
• CollabCode: Copy Room ID - Copy the current room ID to the clipboard.
• CollabCode: Copy Student Invite Token - Copy the latest student invite token.
• CollabCode: Send Chat Message - Send a message to the room chat.
• CollabCode: Open Getting Started - Open the built-in onboarding panel.

Settings

• collabCode.serverUrl - Override the default hosted backend URL for self-hosted deployments.
• collabCode.userName - Persist your preferred display name.
• collabCode.lastRoomId - Store the last room ID used as a convenience for future sessions.
• collabCode.shareCursor - Enable or disable cursor sharing.

Hosted and Self-Hosted Use

CollabCode points to the hosted backend by default:

https://code-collab-5qo3.onrender.com

If you self-host the backend, update collabCode.serverUrl to your deployment URL. Keep the extension and backend on compatible major versions so the collaboration protocol matches.

Backend deployment guide:

• Deploy the backend

Operational Notes

• The shared editor is a scratch document, not direct in-place editing of workspace files.
• Rooms, chat history, and shared document state are retained for seven days of inactivity by default.
• Invite tokens expire according to the configured backend TTL.
• Only a teacher can switch the room between Teacher and Collaboration mode.
• If the connection drops, the extension will try to reconnect automatically.

Privacy and Support

• Privacy policy
• Support
• Repository