VS Code

Installation & Setup

Install the IWE Extension

The IWE extension is available on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace:

Option 1: Via VS Code Marketplace

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for “IWE”
4. Click “Install” on the IWE extension

Option 2: Via Command Line

code --install-extension IWE.iwe

Option 3: Direct LinkVisit the IWE extension on VS Code Marketplace

Prerequisites

The IWE extension requires the iwes LSP server binary to be installed on your system:

1. Install via Cargo (recommended):

   cargo install iwe
2. Download from GitHub Releases:
   • Visit IWE releases
   • Download the appropriate binary for your system
   • Ensure iwes is in your system PATH
3. Build from Source:

   git clone https://github.com/iwe-org/iwe.git
   cd iwe
   cargo build --release --bin iwes
   # Copy target/release/iwes to your PATH

Verify Installation

1. Open VS Code in a directory with markdown files
2. Open a .md file
3. Check the bottom status bar - you should see “IWE” indicating the language server is active
4. Try using IWE features (see shortcuts below)

VS Code Shortcuts for IWE Actions

Core Actions

Additional VS Code Features

Command Palette Access

All IWE features are also available via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):

• Type “IWE” to see all available commands
• Type “Go to” for navigation commands
• Type “Format” for formatting commands
• Type “Rename” for refactoring commands

Usage Examples

Extracting a Section

1. Place cursor on a header line (e.g., ## Section Title)
2. Press Ctrl+. / Cmd+. to open Quick Actions
3. Select “Extract section”
4. VS Code will create a new file and replace the section with a link

Following Links

1. Click on any markdown link or place cursor within brackets
2. Press F12 or Ctrl+Click / Cmd+Click
3. VS Code will navigate to the target document

Finding Backlinks

1. Place cursor on a header or anywhere in a document
2. Press Shift+F12
3. VS Code will show all documents that link to the current location
4. Click any result to navigate

AI-Powered Actions

1. Select text you want to modify
2. Press Ctrl+. / Cmd+.
3. Choose from available AI actions (if configured)
4. The selected text will be processed and replaced

Global Search

1. Press Ctrl+T / Cmd+T
2. Type search terms
3. VS Code will show matching documents and sections
4. Use arrow keys to navigate results, Enter to open

Configuration

Workspace Settings

Create or edit .vscode/settings.json in your workspace:

{
  "iwe.enable": true,
  "iwe.trace.server": "off",
  "files.associations": {
    "*.md": "markdown"
  },
  "markdown.validate.enabled": true
}

User Settings

For global IWE configuration, edit your VS Code user settings:

1. Open Settings (Ctrl+, / Cmd+,)
2. Search for “IWE”
3. Configure available options

Features in VS Code

Auto-Complete

• Link Completion: Type [ and get suggestions for existing documents
• Smart Suggestions: Context-aware completions based on document structure
• Snippet Support: Quick insertion of common markdown patterns

Visual Enhancements

• Inlay Hints: See parent document references and link counts
• Syntax Highlighting: Enhanced markdown highlighting with IWE-specific elements
• Error Detection: Real-time validation of links and structure

File Management

• Auto-Save: New files created by extraction are automatically saved
• File Watching: Changes are tracked and processed in real-time
• Project Integration: Works with VS Code’s built-in file explorer

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. LSP Server Not Starting
   • Check that iwes is installed and in PATH
   • Restart VS Code
   • Check Output panel → “IWE Language Server” for errors
2. Features Not Working
   • Ensure you’re in a directory with .iwe/config.toml
   • Verify the file is saved as .md
   • Check VS Code status bar for IWE indicator
3. Performance Issues
   • Large workspaces may be slow; consider using library path configuration
   • Disable unnecessary VS Code extensions
   • Check system resources

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging:

1. Set environment variable: IWE_DEBUG=true
2. Restart VS Code
3. Check the IWE log file in your workspace directory
4. Include logs when reporting issues

Getting Help

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Discussions: Community support and questions
• Documentation: Full documentation wiki

Best Practices for VS Code

1. Use Workspace Folders: Open your entire knowledge base as a workspace folder
2. Configure File Associations: Ensure all markdown files are properly associated
3. Enable Auto-Save: Prevent data loss with VS Code’s auto-save feature
4. Use Split Views: Work with multiple documents simultaneously
5. Organize with Explorer: Use VS Code’s file explorer alongside IWE’s navigation
6. Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn the shortcuts for faster workflow
7. Extensions Integration: IWE works well with other markdown extensions