# Visual Studio Marketplace API: Get VS Code extension

> Finds a VS Code Marketplace extension by name or marketplace link and returns its publisher, installs, rating, version, categories and update date. For a name search it picks the most-installed close match.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Visual Studio Marketplace.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/marketplace.visualstudio.com/get-extension
- Method: `marketplace.visualstudio.com/get_extension`, version 1
- Website: marketplace.visualstudio.com
- Returns: display name, publisher, installs, rating, latest version, categories, last updated date, link, identifier
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `extension` | string | yes | `"https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python"` | Extension name or marketplace link, for example Prettier or https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=esbenp.prettier-vscode. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "extension": "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "installs": 242314028,
  "publisher": "Microsoft",
  "categories": [
    "Programming Languages",
    "Debuggers",
    "Data Science"
  ],
  "display_name": "Python",
  "rating_count": 631,
  "average_rating": 4.206022262573242,
  "latest_version": "2026.11.2026102101",
  "marketplace_link": "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python",
  "last_updated_date": "2026-10-21",
  "short_description": "Python language support with extension access points for IntelliSense (Pylance), Debugging (Python Debugger), linting, formatting, refactoring, unit tests, and more.",
  "verified_publisher": true,
  "extension_identifier": "ms-python.python"
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"marketplace.visualstudio.com/get_extension","input":{"extension":"https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- How many installs does the Prettier extension have in the VS Code Marketplace, and who publishes it?
- What's the latest version and rating of the GitLens extension?
- Look up the ESLint extension on the visualstudio.com marketplace and tell me its categories and last update date.
- Find the publisher and install count for https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python
- Which VS Code extension for Docker is most popular, and when was it last updated?

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "extension"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "extension": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Extension name or marketplace link, for example Prettier or https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=esbenp.prettier-vscode."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "display_name",
    "publisher",
    "verified_publisher",
    "short_description",
    "installs",
    "average_rating",
    "rating_count",
    "latest_version",
    "last_updated_date",
    "categories",
    "marketplace_link",
    "extension_identifier"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "installs": {
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Number of installs."
    },
    "publisher": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Publisher display name."
    },
    "categories": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "string"
      },
      "description": "Marketplace categories."
    },
    "display_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Name of the extension."
    },
    "rating_count": {
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Number of ratings."
    },
    "average_rating": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Average rating out of 5."
    },
    "latest_version": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Latest listed version."
    },
    "marketplace_link": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Extension listing link."
    },
    "last_updated_date": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Last updated date (YYYY-MM-DD)."
    },
    "short_description": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Short description from the listing."
    },
    "verified_publisher": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Whether the publisher has a verified domain."
    },
    "extension_identifier": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Publisher and extension name (publisher.name).",
      "x-fous-developer": true
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [Google API: Get Chrome extension details](https://fous.com/methods/chromewebstore.google.com/get-extension.md): Looks up a Chrome Web Store extension by name or store link and returns its public listing: developer, users, rating, version, update date, size, category, description, declared privacy practices, website and store link. Permissions are null when the listing does not show them.
- [Google API: Search Chrome extensions](https://fous.com/methods/chromewebstore.google.com/search-extensions.md): Finds Chrome Web Store extensions by keywords in store order, with each listing's developer, users, rating, rating count, short description and store link. Some listings omit developer, users or ratings.
- [Microsoft API: Search Microsoft Store apps](https://fous.com/methods/apps.microsoft.com/search-apps.md): Searches Microsoft Store apps and games by keywords in a chosen country and returns them in Store order. Subscription-included items can show a price of 0.
- [Microsoft API: Get app](https://fous.com/methods/apps.microsoft.com/get-app.md): Looks up the best-matching Microsoft Store app or game by name, store link or product ID, optionally filtered by publisher and country, and returns its listing details.
- [NuGet API: Get package](https://fous.com/methods/nuget.org/get-package.md): Looks up a NuGet package by name or nuget.org link. Inexact names match the top search result. Returns the latest stable release's details and the 10 most recent versions, including prereleases.
- [npm API: Get package](https://fous.com/methods/npmjs.com/get-package.md): Looks up a public npm package by name or npm link. Returns its latest version, weekly downloads, maintainers, links, dates and version count.
- [npm API: Search packages](https://fous.com/methods/npmjs.com/search-packages.md): Searches the npm registry for JavaScript packages by description or keywords, in npm's search order, and returns each package's latest version, weekly downloads and publish date.
- [WordPress.org API: Get WordPress plugin details](https://fous.com/methods/wordpress.org/get-plugin.md): Finds the best-matching WordPress.org plugin by name or plugin page link and returns its details, including the changelog for the latest version when one is available.