How to Use the VS Code IDE to Resolve Code Review Issues?

Introduction

This guide explains how developers can use the Cubyts VS Code IDE integration to receive, review, and resolve code review issues directly inside their development environment. By bringing AI-driven code review recommendations into the IDE, Cubyts enables early remediation, reduces review cycles, and ensures fixes are intentional and auditable.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio Code installed

• Access to a Cubyts workspace

• Permission to perform code reviews

• A valid Personal Access Token (PAT) from Cubyts
  
  

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install the Cubyts VS Code Extension

1. Open Visual Studio Code.

2. Navigate to the Extensions Marketplace.

3. Search for Cubyts and install the Cubyts VS Code plugin using the standard installation process.

Once installed, the plugin is available inside the IDE.

Step 2: Configure Authentication Using a Personal Access Token

1. Open the Cubyts plugin settings in VS Code.

2. Configure the Personal Access Token (PAT) to authenticate your IDE with Cubyts.
   
   

3. Save the configuration.

4. Reference article: 

   1. SaaS: https://support.cubyts.com/support/solutions/articles/80001185525-pat-for-cubyts-vs-code-plugin

   2. Hosted: https://support.cubyts.com/support/solutions/articles/80001185527-cubyts-platform-url-configuration-vs-code-plugin-for-hosted-installations-

This authentication step is mandatory to enable code review capabilities inside the IDE. After this, the plugin is fully configured.

Step 3: Understand Local and Remote Commit Checks

The Cubyts VS Code integration supports two types of checks:

• Local commit checks – Evaluate code while development is still in progress.

• Remote commit checks – Evaluate code after changes are pushed to a remote branch.

This allows governance checks to be applied progressively without disrupting the developer workflow.

Step 4: Run Local Commit Checks in VS Code

Local commit checks allow developers to evaluate code directly inside the IDE before sharing changes.

The plugin supports three evaluation levels:

• Code block level – Validate a specific function or logical block.

• File level – Evaluate all logical blocks within a modified file.

• Branch level – Evaluate a broader scope of changes in the working branch.

To trigger a local check:

1. Right-click on the code inside the editor.

2. Select the Cubyts Code Review option.

3. Choose the appropriate evaluation scope.

This enables targeted validation aligned with the stage of development.

Step 5: Review Local Commit Results

• Once a local check is triggered, results appear in a dedicated code review results pane inside VS Code.

• Findings are:

  • Grouped by severity

  • Easy to scan and prioritize

Expanding a finding shows:

• A clear description of the issue

• Relevant code context

• An explanation of why the issue needs attention

• A recommended fix presented as a code diff

Step 6: Apply or Dismiss Local Recommendations

For each finding, developers can:

• Apply the recommended fix

• Dismiss the recommendation and continue iterating

Resolving issues during local development ensures problems are fixed while context is fresh, reducing rework later in the delivery pipeline.

Step 7: Review Remote Commit Recommendations

Once code is committed to a remote branch:

• Cubyts automatically evaluates the changes.

• Results appear under Cubyts Recommendations inside the IDE.
  
  

These findings reflect the state of the shared code, not just local changes, helping developers address issues before creating pull requests.

Step 8: Navigate and Resolve Remote Commit Issues

• Selecting a recommendation automatically navigates to the exact lines of code responsible for the issue.

• The affected code is highlighted for immediate context.

• Developers can move between multiple findings without leaving the IDE.

For each recommendation, developers can:

• Apply the suggested fix

• Dismiss the recommendation intentionally

This ensures guidance is advisory, not forced, balancing automation with engineering judgment.

Step 9: Review Fixes Before Applying

Before applying a fix:

1. The plugin shows a side-by-side refactor preview.

2. Developers can review the existing code and the proposed changes.

3. Clicking Apply finalizes the update.

This ensures that fixes—especially at the remote commit stage—are deliberate, auditable, and reviewed before progressing further in the delivery lifecycle.

Best Practices for IDE-Based Code Reviews

• Enable VS Code integration to shift code review left.

• Fix issues during local development whenever possible.

• Use remote commit checks to catch shared-code issues early.
  
  

• Treat recommendations as guided input, not mandatory automation.

Note: VS Code integration is optional. Teams that prefer not to use IDE-level workflows can still treat Cubyts code flags as passive indicators of code and delivery health for governance and reporting.

Conclusion

With VS Code IDE integration, Cubyts transforms code review into a continuous, developer-friendly experience. Developers can resolve issues early during local development or after remote commits, while teams can still use the same signals for higher-level governance. This flexibility ensures consistent, enterprise-grade code review without disrupting existing workflows.

Video link: https://www.loom.com/share/fda43d947ab047bcab2d58f1628070e5