Get started in two steps.
Download VS Code
VS Code is where you and Claude work together. It's free, and it's where all your code lives.
After downloading: open the .zip, drag VS Code to your Applications folder.
Install Vibecheck
Vibecheck is your guide inside VS Code. It walks you through setup, teaches you as you build, and connects Claude to your project.
After installing: open VS Code and click the Vibecheck icon
in the left sidebar.
Need help?
My Mac said "can't open because it's from an unidentified developer"›
VS Code is a legitimate app but macOS sometimes flags apps from outside the App Store. Fix: find VS Code in your Applications folder, right-click it (or two-finger click), choose "Open", then click "Open" again in the dialog that appears. You'll only need to do this once.
I downloaded VS Code but I don't know what to do with the .zip file›
A .zip is a compressed folder — like a package that needs to be unwrapped. Double-click it in your Downloads folder and it will expand into a "Visual Studio Code" app file. Then drag that app file into your Applications folder (think of Applications as the home for all your Mac programs). After that, you can open VS Code just like any other app. Don't run it directly from your Downloads folder — move it to Applications first.
VS Code won't open / I can't find it after installing›
Press Cmd+Space, type "Visual Studio Code", and press Enter. If it doesn't appear, you may not have dragged it to your Applications folder after downloading. Reopen the downloaded .zip, then drag the VS Code app into your Applications folder.
The Install Vibecheck button didn't do anything›
The install link opens VS Code directly. If nothing happened, VS Code may not be installed yet — complete Step 1 first, then try the button again. If VS Code is installed and it still doesn't work, open VS Code manually, go to the Extensions panel (the four-squares icon in the left sidebar), search for "Vibecheck", and click Install.
I can't find the Vibecheck icon after installing›
Look in the left sidebar of VS Code — it's a vertical strip of icons on the far left. The Vibecheck icon looks like this:
If you don't see it, try: View → Extensions → search "Vibecheck" → verify it shows "Installed". Then look in the sidebar again. If it's still missing, reload VS Code: Cmd+Shift+P → type "Reload Window" → press Enter.
I already have VS Code — do I need to download it again?›
No. Skip Step 1 and go straight to installing Vibecheck (Step 2). If your VS Code is older, we recommend updating it: Help → Check for Updates.
Still stuck? Contact us →