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VS Code is the standard IDE for Malloy development. This guide walks through installing the Credible extension and configuring your workspace.

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Prerequisites

  • VS Code installed (latest version recommended)
  • Admin role in a Credible organization
  • Database connections configured - Your organization admin should have set up connections to your data sources
See Connect to Your Data for database connection setup.

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What the Credible Extension Provides

The Credible VS Code extension connects you to the Credible platform, giving you:
  • Managed database connections — Access connections configured in the Admin Portal without storing credentials locally
  • Credible AI Modeling Agent — An AI assistant with access to the indexed metadata from your data warehouse (table schemas, column statistics, query logs) to help you build semantic models
  • Credible Service Panel — Browse your organization’s projects, connections, and published packages
Installing the Credible extension also installs the Malloy VS Code extension, which provides:
  • Syntax highlighting & compilation checks for .malloy, .malloynb, and .malloysql files
  • Schema | Explore | Preview buttons above any source definition
  • Run | Show SQL buttons above any query or run statement
  • Malloy Schema Explorer in the Explorer panel (Cmd+Shift+E) to browse sources, dimensions, measures, and views

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Installation

The fastest way to get started is to authenticate via the Credible CLI, then install the VS Code extension.

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Install the CLI and Log In

Open a terminal and install the Credible CLI globally: 
npm i -g @credibledata/cred-cli
Log in to your organization (replace <yourOrgName> with the organization name provided by your admin): 
cred login <yourOrgName>
Set your project: 
cred set project <projectName>
All VS Code workspaces share the same authentication token, but each workspace can point to a different organization and project. This lets you work across multiple projects without re-authenticating.

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Install the Extension

  1. Open VS Code and go to Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux)
  2. Search for “Credible” and install the extension
  3. Restart VS Code to activate the extension
The extension will automatically connect to your organization and project based on your CLI login.

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Set Up Your Workspace

For optimal modeling experience, arrange your VS Code workspace with the Credible Chat panel on the right: This layout allows you to view your code, file explorer, and AI chat simultaneously.

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Credible Service Panel

The Credible Service Panel shows your organization’s structure. Find it at the bottom of the Explorer view (Cmd+Shift+E on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+E on Windows/Linux): VS Code Service Panel Here you can view:
  • Projects: Logical groupings of related packages and connections
  • Connections: Managed database connections (no local credentials needed)
  • Packages: Published semantic models with version history
The extension automatically discovers connections in your project, eliminating the need to store database credentials locally.

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Alternative: Sign In via VS Code

Instead of using the CLI, you can log in directly through VS Code:
  1. Open the Credible Service Panel in the Explorer view
  2. Click the Sign In button
  3. Complete authentication in your browser
  4. Back in VS Code, click Add New Org to connect to your organization
  5. Enter your organization name and select a project
The CLI login is recommended for most users as it’s faster and works across all VS Code workspaces automatically.

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Next Steps

AI-Assisted Modeling

Create semantic models with AI assistance

Malloy Notebooks

Create data stories and documentation