Does this need a VS Code extension?

No extra extension — MCP support ships in VS Code's built-in Copilot Chat agent mode. The NinjaChat server is remote HTTP, so there's no local process either: .vscode/mcp.json plus your nj_sk_ key is the entire install.

Can I share the config with my team without leaking my key?

Yes — commit .vscode/mcp.json using an inputs-based variable for the key, so VS Code prompts each developer for their own nj_sk_ value on first start. Every dev then has an individual spending limit.

What does typical in-editor generation cost?

Images run $0.003–$0.128 each depending on model, edits from $0.039, and video is priced per second — an 8-second clip runs $0.288 on Seedance Lite up to $3.20 on Veo 3.1. estimate_cost prices any job first, and failed generations are refunded automatically — the agent can't burn credits on errors.

Can Copilot's agent reuse previous generations?

Yes. search_creations searches everything your account has generated and get_creation pulls a specific one — useful for keeping icon sets consistent across sessions instead of regenerating from scratch.

Which model should I point Copilot at for UI assets?

recraft-v3 ($0.04) is the strongest for vector-flavored UI work and logos; z-image-turbo ($0.01) is the volume workhorse for drafts; gpt-image-2 ($0.128) when the image must contain clean text. search_models answers this per-task if you'd rather the agent decide.

Is the traffic between VS Code and NinjaChat secure?

Calls go direct from VS Code to https://www.ninjachat.ai over TLS with your bearer key — no third-party relay. Keys can be revoked instantly from the Developers dashboard.

Create free key

VS Code · That drops the file.

Copilot agent mode, with real media tools.

Drop one mcp.json into .vscode and GitHub Copilot's agent can generate the images, icons, and video your project needs — from inside the editor, priced per output.

Connect VS Code

API key auth — you'll paste one nj_sk_ key, once.

Watch it work

Step 1

Connect VS Code. Once.

Get your API key.

Key creation is free. You’ll need developer credit to activate it.

Create and verify your key first to enable installation.

What happens after I get my key?

We’ll show you how to add NinjaChat to VS Code, with your key already filled in. Then you can send your first prompt.

Check your connection Free

Enable NinjaChat in a new chat, then send this check.

View check prompt

Use NinjaChat to check my account balance and spending headroom, then list the available image models. Do not generate anything or add credits. If NinjaChat is unavailable, tell me which setup step is missing.

Balance & spending limit

Different client?Cursor Claude ChatGPT Claude Code Codex Hermes OpenClaw

Step 2 · First ask in VS Code

Paste this.
Review the quote.

Check the connection above, then paste your request. Approve the quoted cost before generating.

Example style · your result will vary

Say this in VS Code

Use NinjaChat for this task: Make one 16:9 image of a city grown from living wood, with amber-lit markets at dusk. After approval, save it under public/ninjachat-hero with the correct file extension and verify the file. First check my balance and use estimate_cost to quote the model, quantity, dimensions or duration, and total price. Ask for any missing reference files. Do not generate, publish, or add credits until I approve the quote. For video, retain the job ID and poll get_generation_status until complete; resume that job instead of starting another. Return the finished media and download links.

Back to connect

Step 3 · What Copilot drops

A README that looks like a product. Because it is.

Agent mode calls generate_image and leaves a real file in the workspace.

LOAM districts in mist — **LOAM**Districts

Four grafts. The agent picks a keeper and ships the page.

Models

Every model VS Code can call.

Image and video engines behind one URL — VS Code asks, NinjaChat runs them. New models appear here; your connection never changes.

Google Veo 3.1Veo 3.1

Seedance 2.0Seedance

An editorial shot of a cobalt coat in white dunes — a real FLUX.2 Pro run

FLUX.2 ProFLUX.2 Pro

Kling 2.6 ProKling

Google Veo 3.1 FastVeo Fast

A flamenco dancer mid-turn under a single spotlight — a real Seedream run

Seedream 4.5Seedream

A red-sailed boat crossing a mirror-still turquoise fjord — a real Nano Banana 2 run

Google Nano Banana 2Nano Banana 2

Seedance LiteSeedance Lite

A matte espresso machine in a shaft of morning light — a real Nano Banana Pro run

Google Nano Banana ProNB Pro

A red fox mid-leap over a frozen creek at sunrise — a real Nano Banana run

Google Nano BananaNano Banana

A hummingbird frozen mid-air at a fuchsia flower — a real Z-Image Turbo run

Z-Image TurboZ-Image

GPT Image 2's take on the tiny astronaut asleep on a crescent moon

GPT Image 2GPT Image

What VS Code can call.

Make

generate_imageCreate images and download the full-resolution results.
edit_imageChange a background, color, or detail with a prompt.
image_to_videoAdd motion to a still image.

Library

search_creationsSearch your images, videos and voiceovers.

Money

estimate_costCheck the price before generating.

Also on the server

create_mediagenerate_speechgenerate_videoedit_videoextend_videoget_generation_statusget_creationsave_creation_aslist_creative_entitiescompare_modelssearch_modelsupload_assetprepare_scrub_videopublish_pageget_account_balanceadd_credits

Troubleshooting

When it doesn't connect.

No “Start” lens appears above the server in mcp.json

Use a current VS Code with Copilot Chat and MCP access allowed by your workspace policy. The file must be .vscode/mcp.json in the workspace root with a top-level "servers" object.

Server starts but tools are missing from the picker

Open Copilot Chat in agent mode (not ask mode), click the tools icon, and check the ninjachat group is toggled on — VS Code disables new tool groups by default in existing chats.

401 on first tool call

The Authorization header value must be the full string "Bearer nj_sk_…". For team repos, use an input variable in mcp.json instead of hardcoding the key, so each dev supplies their own.

Generated file URLs open but never land in the repo

Ask the agent to download the result to a workspace path — media comes back as hosted URLs, and the write into your project happens via the agent's own file tools.