IDE Integrations

VDK seamlessly integrates with popular AI coding assistants and development environments to provide project-aware intelligence and enhanced development workflows.

Supported Integrations

AI Assistants

• Claude Code - Anthropic's official CLI with deep VDK integration
• Cursor - AI-first code editor with automatic rule application
• Windsurf - Advanced AI development environment
• GitHub Copilot - GitHub's AI pair programmer

Development Environments

• VS Code - Popular code editor with VDK extensions
• JetBrains IDEs - IntelliJ, WebStorm, and other JetBrains products
• Generic IDEs - Manual setup for any development environment

How Integrations Work

VDK creates platform-specific configurations that enhance your AI assistant's understanding of your project:

Your Project
├── .ai/rules/           # Generated VDK rules
├── CLAUDE.md           # Claude Code memory
├── .cursorrules        # Cursor configuration  
├── .windsurf/          # Windsurf settings
└── .github/copilot/    # GitHub Copilot rules

Quick Start

Automatic Detection

VDK automatically detects which AI assistants you're using:

# Scan for active integrations
vdk integrations --scan

# Initialize with detected integrations
vdk init

Manual Setup

Set up specific integrations manually:

# Setup Claude Code
vdk integrations --setup claude-code

# Setup Cursor
vdk integrations --setup cursor

# Setup multiple integrations
vdk integrations --setup claude-code,cursor,windsurf

Integration Features

Project Context Awareness

All integrations provide your AI assistant with:

• Technology Stack Detection - Automatic identification of frameworks, languages, and tools
• Architectural Patterns - Recognition of design patterns and project structure
• Coding Conventions - Understanding of your team's style and practices
• Domain Knowledge - Project-specific terminology and business logic

Platform-Specific Optimizations

Each integration is optimized for its platform:

Enhanced AI Responses

Before VDK Integration:

User: "Create a component"
AI: "I'll create a basic React component..."

After VDK Integration:

User: "Create a component"  
AI: "I'll create a component following your Next.js project patterns:
- TypeScript with proper interfaces
- Server Component architecture  
- Tailwind CSS styling
- Feature-based organization
- Your testing conventions"

Configuration Management

Project-Level Settings

Each integration can be customized per project:

// vdk.config.json
{
  "integrations": {
    "claude-code": {
      "memoryMode": "comprehensive",
      "updateFrequency": "on-change"
    },
    "cursor": {
      "autoAttach": true,
      "priority": "high"
    }
  }
}

User-Level Preferences

Set global preferences across all projects:

// ~/.vdk/config.json
{
  "defaultIntegrations": ["claude-code", "cursor"],
  "autoDetection": true,
  "templates": {
    "directory": "~/.vdk/templates"
  }
}

Team Collaboration

Shared Configurations

Deploy team-wide integration settings:

# Deploy team integration setup
vdk deploy --team frontend-team --include-integrations

# Team members sync with:
vdk update --integrations

Standardized Workflows

Ensure consistent AI assistance across your team:

• Shared Rules - Same AI guidance for all team members
• Consistent Patterns - Unified architectural decisions
• Team Conventions - Shared coding standards
• Knowledge Base - Collective project understanding

Advanced Features

Watch Mode

Keep integrations updated during development:

# Enable continuous updates
vdk init --watch

# Integrations automatically stay synchronized

Custom Templates

Create integration-specific templates:

# Create custom Claude Code template
mkdir .vdk/templates/claude-code
echo "# Custom Memory Template" > .vdk/templates/claude-code/memory.md

# Use custom template
vdk claude-code --setup --template custom

Multi-Project Workspaces

Handle monorepos and multi-project setups:

# Setup for workspace root
vdk init --workspace

# Setup for individual projects
vdk init --project frontend --project backend

Performance Considerations

Memory Usage

Different platforms have different constraints:

• Claude Code: No strict limits, rich context
• Cursor: Moderate limits, optimized for speed
• Windsurf: Character limits, memory-optimized
• GitHub Copilot: Lightweight, review-focused

Update Frequency

Control how often integrations are refreshed:

# Manual updates
vdk integrations --update

# Automatic updates (watch mode)
vdk init --watch

# Scheduled updates
vdk integrations --schedule daily

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Integration not detected:

# Force detection scan
vdk integrations --scan --force

# Check specific platform
vdk integrations --check claude-code

Rules not applying:

# Verify integration status
vdk status --integrations

# Reload integration
vdk integrations --setup claude-code --force

Performance issues:

# Optimize for performance
vdk init --optimize

# Reduce rule complexity
vdk init --complexity simple

Security & Privacy

Data Handling

VDK integrations respect privacy:

• Local Processing - Rules generated locally
• No Code Upload - Source code stays on your machine
• Opt-in Telemetry - Anonymous usage analytics only
• Team Control - You control what gets shared

Best Practices

• Review generated rules before use
• Customize templates for sensitive projects
• Use team deployment for controlled sharing
• Regularly update integrations for security patches

Migration & Compatibility

Upgrading Integrations

Keep integrations up to date:

# Check for integration updates
vdk integrations --check-updates

# Update all integrations
vdk integrations --update-all

# Update specific integration
vdk integrations --update claude-code

Version Compatibility

VDK maintains compatibility across versions:

• Backward Compatible - Older rules continue working
• Migration Assistance - Automatic rule format updates
• Version Pinning - Lock to specific rule versions
• Rollback Support - Revert to previous configurations

Next Steps

• Choose Your Integration - Start with your preferred AI assistant
• Configuration Guide - Customize integration behavior
• Team Setup - Deploy across your team
• Troubleshooting - Solve common issues