How to Integrate an LLM in a VS Code Extension? (Beginner Friendly Guide with Code)

Integrating LLM in VS Code Extension Learn how to add AI inside your VSCode extension: first using the built-in vscode.lm API, then by calling external LLMs like OpenAI and Claude directly. Why should you care? Every developer uses VS Code. And almost every developer now uses some kind of AI tool. But here is the thing - you don’t have to wait for someone else to build the AI tool you need. You can build your own. Maybe you want a small button that explains selected code. Maybe you want to ask questions about a file without leaving the editor.