VS Code's Agent Host Lets Claude and Codex Sessions Run Outside the Editor Window

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VS Code 1.129, released July 15, 2026, introduced the Agent Host, a dedicated process that runs agent harnesses such as Copilot, Claude and Codex. Previously, agents ran inside the window's extension host, so closing the window stopped the work. Later September releases allowed the host to run in a local Dev Container and over SSH, Tunnel and WSL. The Agent Host Protocol, an open MIT-licensed spec, syncs session state across clients, letting work continue after a window closes and letting multiple windows view the same session. The article also notes that some developers prefer the opposite design, where the editor renders an agent's output rather than hosting its runtime.

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Chrome's Prompt API now runs on-device AI without API keys or per-token billing

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

Student Proposes LazyStudy, an Offline AI Tool That Turns PDFs into Study Aids

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

Home Product Photo Tips for Getting Clean AI Video Results

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