Using SynapseAudit in VS Code

Getting Started

What is SynapseAudit?
Core Capabilities
Offline-First Design
Data Flow & User Control
Installing the VS Code Extension
Permissions & Access Scope

Security Analysis Capabilities

Overview of Security Analysis
Supported Vulnerability Coverage (50+ Classes)
Severity Levels
Scope & Limitations of Analysis
When Analysis Runs (Trigger-Based)

How SynapseAudit Works

How the Analysis Engine Operates
Confidence Thresholds and Signal Quality
Finding Generation
How Results Are Presented in VS Code
Local Execution and Offline Processing
Code Context Collection
Determining the Scope of Analysis
How Analysis Is Triggered
Execution Overview

Using SynapseAudit in VS Code

SynapseAudit in VS Code Overview
Running an Analysis
Choosing the Right Scope
Analyzing Selected Code
Reviewing Findings
Understanding Severity in Practice
Iterating and Re-running Analysis
Clearing and Managing Results
Using SynapseAudit During Code Review
Performance Considerations
Working Offline

Using SynapseAudit in the CLI

Using CLI Alongside VS Code
Error Handling and Exit Codes
Optional Extensions in CLI Mode
Overview of Using SynapseAudit in the CLI
When to Use the CLI
CLI Execution Model
Defining the Analysis Target
Running an Analysis
Analysis Behavior in CLI Mode
Output and Results
Iterative CLI Usage
Offline Operation

Using SynapseAudit as Github App

SynapseAudit MCP Server

AI Integration

Overview
Role of AI in Analysis
Enabling AI Integration
External AI API Keys
What Happens Without an API Key
AI Usage Flow
Scope of Data Shared with AI
Developer Control and Transparency
AI in VS Code vs CLI
Limitations of AI Integration
Performance Considerations

Dashboard Sync

What the Dashboard Is
When Dashboard Sync Occurs
How Sync Is Triggered
What Data Is Synced
What Is Never Synced
Sync Scope and Granularity
Enabling Dashboard Sync
Disabling Dashboard Sync
Offline-Only Mode
Dashboard Sync in VS Code vs CLI
Common Use Cases for Dashboard Sync
Why Dashboard Sync Is Optional
Overview

Privacy, Security & Guarantees

No Background Execution
Data Access Boundaries
No Silent Code Changes
Data Transmission Model
AI Integration and Data Handling
API Key Handling
Dashboard Sync and Privacy
Predictable Behavior Guarantee
Use in Restricted and Sensitive Environments
Responsibility and Ownership
Explicit Execution Guarantee
Offline-First Guarantee
Overview

Troubleshooting

Overview
Analysis Not Running
No Findings Displayed
Analysis Runs but Results Look Incomplete
Performance Issues or Slow Analysis
AI Not Responding
Invalid or Missing API Key
Dashboard Sync Not Working
CLI-Specific Issues
Conflicting Extensions or Environment Issues
Resetting to a Known State
When to Seek Support
Troubleshooting Philosophy

FAQ

What happens if I don’t configure an AI API key?
Does SynapseAudit modify my code?
Is my code stored anywhere?
What data is sent externally, if anything?
Can I disable online features completely?
Does SynapseAudit replace security audits or CI scanners?
Can SynapseAudit be used in enterprise or restricted environments?
Are findings guaranteed to be vulnerabilities?
Why doesn’t SynapseAudit list specific vulnerability names?
Can I use SynapseAudit in automated workflows?
Does SynapseAudit collect telemetry or usage data?
Is AI required to use SynapseAudit?
Does SynapseAudit work offline?
Can I analyze only part of a file?
Does SynapseAudit run automatically?
Does SynapseAudit scan my entire repository?
Where should I go if something doesn’t work?