Contral extension
The teaching layer for any AI coding agent.
Cursor, Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, Cline, Kilo Code, Aider, Continue, Windsurf, Antigravity: Contral explains the code they write, as they write it. Install it once in the editor you already use.
Install
Install it in the editor you use
The same contral.contral extension, published on the Visual Studio Marketplace and Open VSX.
VS Code
Installs from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
Cursor
Installs from Open VSX. Explains the edits Cursor's agent makes.
Windsurf
Installs from Open VSX. Explains the edits Cascade makes.
Antigravity
Installs from Open VSX. Explains the edits its agent makes.
Kilo Code
Installs from Open VSX.
VSCodium
Installs from Open VSX, VSCodium's default registry.
What's inside
What the extension does
The same features in every supported editor, on one Contral account.
Auto-teach on every AI edit
Cursor's agent, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cline, Kilo Code, Aider, Continue, OpenCode, Windsurf, or Antigravity edits a file. A streaming card explains why each change was made. Multi-file bursts walk you through every file in order.
Recursive coding agent
Contral's own Build Agent ships with Plan / Fast / Deep / Recursive modes. Recursive mode runs a Generator → Critic → Revisor loop that re-edits its own output until it passes self-review. Slower; higher quality on hard problems.
Plan mode for greenfield work
First turn is read-only. Contral proposes a plan with files and step sequence; you Approve or Reject. Then it executes. Every file write asks Apply / Skip first; commands need approval before they run.
Java curriculum
Prerequisite-locked topics, hints you earn by completing work, project-graded checkpoints and deep-dive explanations on demand. The Basics module is free; Pro unlocks every topic.
Codebase tours
Point Contral at a repo and it builds a guided learning path for that codebase. Ask follow-up questions and get answers that cite the actual files.
Selection / file teaching
Right-click any code → Teach me this selection. Streaming explanation card with line-by-line highlights and Ask Tutor follow-ups inside the card. Click a line, see the explanation jump to it.
Slash commands
/login, /status, /web, /search, /plan, /fast, /deep, /list mcp, /list skills, /help and more. Type / in the chat to discover them all with descriptions.
MCP servers + skills
Install Model Context Protocol servers and reusable skills from a curated registry. Scoped to your account, configurable per workspace.
Auto-update
The extension checks for new versions and installs required updates in one click.
BYOK on every plan
Plug your own Anthropic, OpenAI, Groq, OpenRouter, Together, DeepInfra, Mistral, Fireworks key (or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint). Free includes 30 BYOK messages a day; paid plans are unlimited. Keys live in your OS keychain.
Privacy-first
Telemetry is opt-in. Default events carry no file contents, no prompts, no model responses. Your code is never used to train models. Strict CSP on every webview.
Account dashboard
Usage, plan limits, BYOK token totals and payment history at contral.ai/overview: the same numbers the in-editor usage chip shows.
Desktop IDE
Prefer a standalone IDE?
Contral also ships as a desktop IDE with the same teaching engine built in, on the same account. It's in public beta.
Download Contral IDEFree download. What's in the beta
FAQ