Getting Started with GitScrum Studio

GitScrum Studio brings your entire project management workflow into your code editor. Manage Kanban boards, track time, run sprints, write wiki pages, and collaborate with your team — all without leaving VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or any compatible fork.

The Problem This Solves

Switching between your code editor and a browser-based project management tool breaks focus. Every context switch costs minutes of productivity and mental energy. Developers lose flow checking task details, logging time, or updating status in a separate application.

GitScrum Studio eliminates that friction. Your tasks, boards, sprints, time tracking, and team communication live alongside your code in the same window where you already spend your day.

What You Are Looking At

After installing the extension, a GitScrum icon appears in the Activity Bar (the vertical icon strip on the left side of your editor). Clicking it reveals the GitScrum sidebar with a tree-view navigation organized by workspace and project.

The sidebar structure follows this hierarchy:

Workspace Name
  └─ Project Name
       ├─ Plan
       │    ├─ Sprints
       │    ├─ User Stories
       │    └─ Team Standup
       ├─ Build
       │    └─ Board
       ├─ Knowledge
       │    ├─ Wiki
       │    ├─ Discussions
       │    └─ Documents
       └─ Time Tracking

Each item opens a dedicated webview panel inside your editor. These panels behave like editor tabs — you can split, rearrange, and pin them alongside your code.

Installation

From the Marketplace

1. Open VS Code, Cursor, or Windsurf
2. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for GitScrum Studio
4. Click Install

Alternatively, install directly from the Visual Studio Marketplace.

From the Command Palette

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Type ext install gitscrum-vscode.gitscrum-vscode
3. Press Enter

The extension activates automatically after installation. No editor restart is required.

Authentication

GitScrum Studio requires authentication to connect to your GitScrum account.

Sign In

1. Click the GitScrum icon in the Activity Bar
2. Click Sign in in the sidebar
3. A browser window opens to the GitScrum authentication page
4. Sign in using your preferred method: GitHub, Google, Facebook, or Email
5. After successful authentication, the browser redirects back and the extension connects automatically

Your authentication token is stored securely using the editor's built-in SecretStorage API. It persists across sessions — you do not need to sign in every time you open the editor.

Sign Out

Open the Command Palette and run GitScrum: Sign Out. This clears your stored credentials immediately.

Authentication Status

The sidebar shows your connection status. When authenticated, your workspace and project tree appears. When signed out, a sign-in prompt is displayed.

Selecting a Workspace and Project

After signing in:

1. The sidebar loads your available workspaces
2. Expand a workspace to see its projects
3. Click a project to set it as active
4. The sidebar tree populates with that project's Plan, Build, Knowledge, and Time Tracking sections

You can switch projects at any time by clicking a different project in the tree. The active project determines which data appears in all panels.

Available Commands

Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and type "GitScrum" to see all available commands:

The Status Bar Timer

A persistent time tracking indicator appears in the status bar at the bottom of your editor. When a timer is running, it shows elapsed time and the current task name. Click it to access timer controls through a QuickPick menu:

• Start Timer: Select a task and begin tracking
• Stop Timer: Stop the active timer and log the entry
• Cancel Timer: Discard the active timer without logging

The timer persists across editor sessions. If you close and reopen your editor, an active timer continues from where it left off.

Navigating the Extension

Opening Panels

Click any item in the sidebar tree to open its panel. Panels open as editor tabs:

• Board opens the Kanban board with all columns and tasks
• Sprints opens the sprint list with search and filters
• User Stories opens the user story list
• Team Standup opens the async standup workflow
• Wiki opens the knowledge base editor
• Discussions opens the team chat channels
• Documents opens the file browser
• Time Tracking opens the project time tracking dashboard

Panel Behavior

Panels behave like standard editor tabs. You can:

• Split panels side-by-side with code files
• Pin panels to keep them open
• Close panels with Ctrl+W / Cmd+W
• Reopen panels from the sidebar or Command Palette

Data refreshes automatically at the configured interval. Click the refresh button in any panel header for an immediate update.

Keyboard Shortcuts

The extension does not override any default editor shortcuts. All commands are accessible through the Command Palette. You can bind custom keyboard shortcuts to any GitScrum command through the Keyboard Shortcuts editor (Ctrl+K Ctrl+S / Cmd+K Cmd+S).

Compatibility

GitScrum Studio works with:

• VS Code 1.85.0 or later
• Cursor (all versions)
• Windsurf (all versions)
• Any editor built on the VS Code extension API

The extension requires an active internet connection to communicate with the GitScrum API.

Pro Tips (Once You Are Comfortable)

• Split view: Open the Kanban board in a split panel next to your code. Drag tasks to "Done" as you complete them without switching windows.

• Timer workflow: Start the timer from the status bar when you pick up a task. It takes one click and builds accurate time logs effortlessly.

• Quick access: Pin frequently used panels (Board, Time Tracking) so they persist across editor sessions.

• Command Palette first: Learning the GitScrum: commands lets you access any feature in seconds without touching the mouse.

Permissions

The extension respects your GitScrum account permissions:

• Agency Owners and Managers: Full access to all features, settings, and team data
• Developers: Can manage tasks, log time, and contribute to collaboration tools
• Clients: View access only (if granted project access)

If a feature appears disabled or a panel shows limited data, check your project role in the GitScrum web application.

How to Report a Problem or Request a Feature

If the extension behaves unexpectedly or you have suggestions for improvements, we want to hear from you.

In the GitScrum web application Sidebar, click on Support Tickets and open a ticket describing your experience. Include the extension version (visible in the Extensions view) and your editor name and version for faster resolution.