In VS Code open the Command Palette and run “Idea Builder: Enter License Key”, then paste the key from your purchase email. Activation binds the key to this machine — it only needs a connection this one time.

One at a time. A key activates a single machine. To use Idea Builder on a different computer, deactivate the first one (below) to free the key — or buy additional keys for more seats.

On the computer you’re leaving, open the Command Palette in VS Code and run “Idea Builder: Deactivate License on This Machine”. That releases the key so it’s free to use elsewhere. Then on the new computer run “Idea Builder: Enter License Key” and paste the same key to activate it there.

Only for the one-time activation. After that Idea Builder trusts the activation on this machine indefinitely and works fully offline — there are no periodic re-checks and the license doesn’t expire.

It’s in the receipt email we sent when you purchased. It’s also shown on the thank-you page right after checkout. If you still can’t find it, reply to that email and we’ll resend it.

That means the request never reached the licensing server — usually a dropped connection, a VPN, or a corporate proxy/firewall. Try again on a normal connection; the error now includes the underlying reason (for example a DNS or certificate error) to help pin it down.

Get a free API key from Google AI Studio. Then in VS Code either click “AI Titles (Gemini)” at the top of the Idea Builder Commands view, or open the Command Palette and run “Idea Builder: Configure Gemini API Key (AI Titles)”, and paste the key. The key is stored securely in VS Code’s secret storage. To turn AI titles off and use only the offline algorithm — without losing your key — run “Idea Builder: Toggle AI Issue Titles” from the Command Palette (or untick ideaBuilder.aiTitlesEnabled in Settings). To remove the key entirely, run the configure command again and submit an empty value.

By default each workspace keeps its issues in a local file — fully offline. To sync with Linear, click “Connect Linear” in the Idea Builder Commands view, authorize, then pick a Team and Project. Once a workspace is connected the Sync section drops away to keep the view clean. To switch back to the offline local file at any time, open the Command Palette and run “Idea Builder: Use Local (Offline) Mode”.

An issue’s status becomes a Linear workflow state; its type, mode, and assignee are stored as labels. Only the non-default value of each field carries a label, so a typical feature / agent issue stays label-free. A bug uses Linear’s built-in Bug label (a feature has none); add Human to take an issue off the agents (none means agent); and a mode other than your ideaBuilder.defaultMode setting (which ships as auto) gets a mode:auto or mode:plan label. To change a field from Linear’s own app, just add or remove the matching label — the extension creates Human and mode:* when needed, still recognizes the older paired labels (type:bug, assignee:human, …) and tidies them up on your next edit, and leaves any labels of your own untouched.

Yes. Idea Builder drives Claude Code sessions inside VS Code, so you’ll need it installed and signed in.

No. Worktrees, issues, and sessions stay on your machine. The only things that leave it are: license checks, any sync you turn on (e.g. Linear), and — if you configure a Gemini API key for AI titles — the issue description you’re titling, sent to Google’s Gemini API. Leave the Gemini key unset to keep titling fully offline.