This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Charles Ouimet
Hey devs! I just shipped v0.2.1 of RangeLink, a VS Code/Cursor extension that fixes something that's been driving me (and probably you) crazy.
The Problem
I use Claude Code running in a terminal inside Cursor daily. And the constant copy-pasting between terminal and editor? Exhausting.
One day, after the hundredth copy-paste, I got frustrated and just tried something: I sent Claude a link like src/path/file.rb#L42C10-L58C25 pointing to a specific code snippet.
It just worked. No explanation needed. Claude understood immediately.
That was the lightbulb moment: precise code references should be universal. Not just for AI assistants, but for code reviews, documentation, team collaboration — anywhere developers share code.
What RangeLink Does
Create precise code references in one keystroke.
- Select some code in VS Code/Cursor
- Press
Cmd+R Cmd+L(Mac) orCtrl+R Ctrl+L(Windows/Linux) - Done! Link is in your clipboard:
src/path/file.rb#L42C10-L58C25
The notation is GitHub-inspired, so your teammates already know it. They don't even need RangeLink installed to understand your links.
The Killer Feature (v0.2.1)
Auto-paste to terminal — this is where it gets good for Claude Code users (or any terminal-based workflow).
One-time setup: bind your Claude Code terminal to RangeLink (Command Palette → "Bind Terminal"). Now every RangeLink you generate automatically appears in that terminal. No copy-paste needed. Zero. None.
Select code → hit the keybinding → the link is instantly in your terminal prompt, ready to send to Claude (or any AI assistant).
The copy-paste workflow? Gone. You stay in flow. Even if you switch between multiple terminals, links always go to your bound terminal.
Bonus: You can also Cmd+Click (Mac) or Ctrl+Click (Windows/Linux) any RangeLink in your terminal to jump straight back to that code. No more "wait, which file was that?" moments.
Why You'll Love It
- No more "around line 42" — Share exact ranges with column precision
- Works everywhere — Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, GitHub, Slack, PRs
-
One keystroke —
Cmd+R Cmd+L→ link copied, done - Flexible paths — Workspace-relative or absolute paths, your choice
Perfect for:
- Code reviews ("The bug is in
api/routes.ts#L215C8-L223C45") - AI assistants (multi-file context in one prompt)
- Team collaboration (universal format everyone can use)
About the Logo
Ever notice the chicken in the logo? That's a free-range chicken. Because your code should roam free across editors, tools, and teams.
The chains represent links — connections between developers, tools, and ideas.
Look at the numbers in the range, precision matters.
Try It Out
Install RangeLink:
- VS Code: VS Code Marketplace
- Cursor: Open VSX Registry
Select some code, hit Cmd+R Cmd+L (or Command Palette → "Copy Range Link" if you have keybinding conflicts), and paste the link into Claude Code or Slack. See how it feels to never say "around line X" again.
Get Involved
If you find RangeLink useful, I'd love your support:
- ⭐ Star the repo on GitHub — it helps others discover it
- 🐛 Report bugs or request features via GitHub Issues
- 🤝 Contribute — the codebase is well-documented and PR-friendly
- 🗣️ Share your feedback — I'm actively iterating based on what the community needs
For vim/neovim users interested in building a plugin: the core library is platform-agnostic and designed for multi-editor support. Would love to collaborate!
Curious about the implementation? Browse the source code on GitHub or reach out — I'm happy to chat about the architecture and design decisions.
Links:
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Charles Ouimet
Charles Ouimet | Sciencx (2025-11-08T22:46:36+00:00) I Built a VS Code Extension to Stop the Copy-Paste Madness. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/11/08/i-built-a-vs-code-extension-to-stop-the-copy-paste-madness/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.