macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install vsclilocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 8984
Install vscli with Homebrew, winget
CLI/TUI that launches VSCode projects, with a focus on dev containers. Version 1.3.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-19. Also installable with winget: winget install --id michidk.vscli -e.
install
Additional install commands
Windows
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id michidk.vscli -eWindows Package Manager source index · michidk.vscli · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
CLI/TUI that launches VSCode projects, with a focus on dev containers
Project links
Commands and aliases
- vscli
history
Project history and usage
vscli is a Rust CLI/TUI for launching Visual Studio Code projects, especially projects that use dev containers. It acts like a smarter `code` launcher: it remembers projects, detects devcontainer setups, supports multiple VS Code-like editors, and can open projects through a terminal UI.
Project history
The repository was created in March 2023. Its README frames the project as a shortcut for launching VS Code projects with dev-container support, and links to Michael Lohr's February 2024 write-up about reverse-engineering Microsoft's dev-container launch behavior.
The blog post explains the motivation: users wanted to open dev containers directly from the command line instead of manually using VS Code UI commands. vscli worked around the lack of a simple `code --devcontainer` style command by constructing the remote folder URI forms VS Code uses for dev containers.
Adoption history
vscli is a small developer convenience tool rather than a platform project. Its adoption lives among users who frequently switch between local projects and dev containers, and the project is distributed through Rust's Cargo ecosystem as well as package-manager channels such as Homebrew and Chocolatey.
The broader context is the Dev Container specification. The Dev Containers project documents a reference CLI that can read `devcontainer.json` metadata and create or configure containers, while VS Code and Codespaces integrate that model into product workflows. vscli sits beside that ecosystem as a launcher focused on editor-opening ergonomics.
How it is used
Users run `vscli` as a shorthand for opening projects in VS Code or compatible editors such as VS Code Insiders and Cursor. When a target folder contains dev-container configuration, vscli can launch the containerized workspace instead of just opening the local folder.
The TUI side tracks recent projects so users can reopen them without remembering paths. The tool also advertises support for multiple dev containers in one project, external reusable devcontainer configs, and container management actions such as listing, inspecting, and stopping dev containers.
Why package nerds care
The tool is package-nerd-significant as workflow glue. It turns a fiddly editor/dev-container launch path into a repeatable CLI/TUI command, which is exactly the sort of small automation developers reach for after the tenth time opening the same containerized workspace.
Timeline
- 2023: GitHub repository is created for the Rust-based launcher.
- 2024: The author publishes a technical write-up explaining the dev-container reverse-engineering journey behind vscli.
- 2026: The repository remains active, and GitHub metadata shows several hundred stars.
Related projects
- vscli is related to Visual Studio Code, VS Code Insiders, Cursor, Dev Containers, the Dev Container CLI, Codespaces, Docker, and projects with `.devcontainer/devcontainer.json` configuration.
Sources
- Author blog post: https://blog.lohr.dev/launching-dev-containers
- Dev Containers reference implementation: https://containers.dev/implementors/reference/
- GitHub README: https://github.com/michidk/vscli
- GitHub repository API metadata: https://api.github.com/repos/michidk/vscli
- crates.io package page: https://crates.io/crates/vscli
security posture
Risk level: orange
infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal
Signals
- text:container
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
vscli | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version1.3.2
manager updated2026-07-19
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:vscli |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.3.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/michidk/vscli |
| Repository | https://github.com/michidk/vscli |
| Last updated | 2026-07-19T21:13:11Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
winget95%
michidk.vscli
winget install --id michidk.vscli -e- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Vscli
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation