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Version: v2 (current)

Install the VS Code plugin

The PanDev Metrics extension for VS Code is published on the VS Code Marketplace. The same extension also works in Cursor, Windsurf, and other VS Code forks — see the dedicated page for them at the bottom.

What the plugin does​

  • Tracks file activity (open, edit, close), branch switches, and time spent.
  • Counts AI assistant usage (GitHub Copilot, Cursor AI, etc.) as two separate streams: your prompts as developer activity, AI-generated edits as AI activity.
  • Sends everything to PanDev Metrics over HTTPS.
  • Captures no source code and no screenshots.

See the overview for the full list of captured and non-captured signals.

Install​

  1. Open VS Code.
  2. Open the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X).
  3. Search for PanDev Metrics.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Reload the editor when prompted.
tip

The marketplace keeps the extension updated automatically. We recommend running the latest version.

Configure​

Open Settings (Ctrl+, / Cmd+,) and search for PanDev Metrics.

You can also use the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and run PanDev: Configure.

Every PanDev Metrics plugin signs in with a single user token. Get it from the web app, paste it into the plugin settings, and you are done: the server address and the workspace are encoded in the token, so there is nothing else to fill in.

  1. Open the PanDev Metrics web app and go to Settings → Plugins.
  2. Click your editor — VS Code, Cursor or Windsurf — the install instructions open.
  3. Copy the value from the Enter your token step. Tokens start with pandev_.
  4. Paste it into the plugin's token field and save.
Which workspace does the token belong to?

The token is issued for the workspace you are currently signed into in the web app. To send metrics to a different workspace, switch to it in the web app first, then copy the token again. On-prem works the same way — take the token from your own instance and the plugin will reach that host.

Rotate or revoke

Two buttons sit next to the token in the same step. Rotate token issues a new one and the old one stops working immediately; Revoke token deletes it without a replacement. Each user has one active token per workspace, so after rotating you have to re-paste it everywhere you use it.

Verify​

  1. Edit a file.
  2. Wait a couple of minutes.
  3. Open the PanDev Metrics web app → your profile → today.
  4. You should see activity on the timeline.

The status bar shows Online when the extension is connected.

Troubleshooting​

No data on the dashboard. Reload the VS Code window and check the status bar for an error indicator. If it still says offline, copy a fresh token from the web app — it may have been rotated or revoked.

Self-signed certificate on on-prem. On-prem servers may use a self-signed certificate. The extension supports disabling SSL validation — your administrator will tell you whether to enable it.

Offline / VPN drop. The extension queues events locally and flushes them when the server is reachable again. No action needed.

FAQ​

Does the extension track browser activity? No. The extension only tracks activity inside VS Code. PanDev Metrics has a separate browser extension for web activity.

Can I use it together with the JetBrains plugin? Yes. PanDev Metrics aggregates data from every plugin you have installed — JetBrains, VS Code, Visual Studio, Xcode, Eclipse — into one timeline per developer.

Does it work in Cursor and Windsurf? Yes. Cursor and Windsurf are VS Code forks and install the same extension. See Cursor and Windsurf for the short version.

Will my source code be uploaded? No. The extension records file names, activity events, and branches. Source code stays on your machine.