How do you show LLM thinking when using VS Code + Ollama?

Type: Feature Request

There seems to be a major missing feature or bug with VS Code + Ollama not being able to show thinking. Is there any other way other then modifying the architecture of VS Code (or writing a custom extension API) to catch those hidden Ollama reasoning streams?

This seems very important and very basic feature for everyone using Ollama. How do we submit a feature request or bug request to VS Coode?

How does one enable VS Code + Ollama to show thinking details for CPU only mode?

You can run the following command to see that VS Code correctly runs Ollama however for some reason the packets are ignored by VS Code:

sudo journalctl -u ollama -e -f
AI suggests modifying VS Code to intercept the Ollama stream loop from inside VS Code and push the reasoning content form Ollama into a dedicated progress block before the final text streams.

If you want to try getting VS CODE working with Ollama CPU mode I had to build a custom Ollama make file and also modify "Chat: Byok Utility Model Default (Main Agent Model)" in VS Code settings.

nano Modelfile
FROM gemma4:e2b
PARAMETER num_gpu 0
ollama create gemma4-cpu -f Modelfile
is there any easy way to get fast outputs including thinking from VS Code + Ollama?

AI doesn't really suggest anything helpful, it just says:

No. Short of modifying the extension source code or writing an intermediary proxy server, there is currently no "easy toggle" inside VS Code to make its native chat panel render Ollama's blocks.

it seems unfair that they SHOW THINKING for the big models like ChatGPT/Claude but not for local models running Ollama.

VS Code version: Code 1.130.0 (1b6a188127eeaf9194f945eb6eb89a657e93c54c, 2026-07-22T14:55:04Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.1.0-32-amd64
Modes:

System Info

|Item|Value|
|---|---|
|CPUs|Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900 CPU @ 3.10GHz (16 x 4123)|
|GPU Status|2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x10de, DEVICE=0x2584, DRIVER_VENDOR=Nvidia, DRIVER_VERSION=610.43.02 *ACTIVE*
GPU1: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x3e98
Machine model name:
Machine model version:
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: disabled_software
vulkan: disabled_off
webgl: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webgpu_on_vk_via_gl_interop: enabled
webnn: disabled_off|
|Load (avg)|1, 1, 1|
|Memory (System)|46.83GB (21.08GB free)|
|Process Argv|--crash-reporter-id 8f9d0b2e-0a70-4976-b27a-aa5f293387d1|
|Screen Reader|no|
|VM|0%|
|DESKTOP_SESSION|lightdm-xsession|
|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP|X-Cinnamon|
|XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP|lightdm-xsession|
|XDG_SESSION_TYPE|x11|
Extensions (56)

Name|Identifier|Author|Version
---|---|---|---
Python Quick Print|ahadcove.python-quick-print|AhadCove|0.2.0
GitHub Copilot LLM Gateway|andrewbutson.github-copilot-llm-gateway|AndrewButson|1.6.0
Claude Code for VS Code|anthropic.claude-code|Anthropic|2.1.220
ESLint|dbaeumer.vscode-eslint|dbaeumer|3.0.34
HTML CSS Support|ecmel.vscode-html-css|ecmel|2.0.14
Python Snippets 3|ericsia.pythonsnippets3|EricSia|3.3.20
Prettier - Code formatter|esbenp.prettier-vscode|esbenp|12.4.0
Pine Script Syntax Highlighter|ex-codes.pine-script-syntax-highlighter|ex-codes|1.0.5
Debugger for Firefox|firefox-devtools.vscode-firefox-debug|firefox-devtools|2.15.0
Terminal Links|fractalbrew.terminal-links|fractalbrew|1.0.5
C/C++ Runner|franneck94.c-cpp-runner|franneck94|9.5.0
GitHub Pull Requests|github.vscode-pull-request-github|GitHub|0.160.0
Pine Script|jeylanib.pinescript|JeylaniB|3.0.1
Kilo Code: AI Coding Agent, Copilot, and Autocomplete|kilocode.kilo-code|kilocode|7.4.16
clangd|llvm-vs-code-extensions.vscode-clangd|llvm-vs-code-extensions|0.6.0
MagicPython|magicstack.magicpython|magicstack|1.1.0
Rainbow CSV|mechatroner.rainbow-csv|mechatroner|3.24.1
Arduino|moozzyk.arduino|moozzyk|0.0.4
Container Tools|ms-azuretools.vscode-containers|ms-azuretools|2.4.5
Python Debugger|ms-python.debugpy|ms-python|2026.6.0
Pylint|ms-python.pylint|ms-python|2026.6.0
Python|ms-python.python|ms-python|2026.4.0
Pylance|ms-python.vscode-pylance|ms-python|2026.3.1
Python Environments|ms-python.vscode-python-envs|ms-python|1.36.0
Jupyter|ms-toolsai.jupyter|ms-toolsai|2025.9.1
Jupyter Keymap|ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap|ms-toolsai|1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers|ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers|ms-toolsai|1.3.0
Dev Containers|ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers|ms-vscode-remote|0.466.0
Remote - SSH|ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh|ms-vscode-remote|0.125.2026072315
Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files|ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit|ms-vscode-remote|0.87.0
CMake Tools|ms-vscode.cmake-tools|ms-vscode|1.23.52
C/C++ DevTools|ms-vscode.cpp-devtools|ms-vscode|0.5.13
C/C++|ms-vscode.cpptools|ms-vscode|1.32.2
C/C++ Extension Pack|ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack|ms-vscode|1.5.1
Makefile Tools|ms-vscode.makefile-tools|ms-vscode|0.12.17
Remote Explorer|ms-vscode.remote-explorer|ms-vscode|0.5.0
Serial Monitor|ms-vscode.vscode-serial-monitor|ms-vscode|0.13.1
idl|mythmon.idl|mythmon|0.3.1
AutoTrim|nathanridley.autotrim|NathanRidley|1.0.6
Ollama|ollama.ollama|Ollama|0.0.5
Codex – OpenAI’s coding agent|openai.chatgpt|openai|26.5721.30844
PlatformIO IDE|platformio.platformio-ide|platformio|3.3.4
Language Support for Java(TM) by Red Hat|redhat.java|redhat|1.55.0
arduino-snippets|ronaldosena.arduino-snippets|ronaldosena|1.0.2
rust-analyzer|rust-lang.rust-analyzer|rust-lang|0.3.2989
CMake|twxs.cmake|twxs|0.0.17
CodeLLDB|vadimcn.vscode-lldb|vadimcn|1.12.0
Gradle for Java|vscjava.vscode-gradle|vscjava|3.18.0
Debugger for Java|vscjava.vscode-java-debug|vscjava|0.59.0
Project Manager for Java|vscjava.vscode-java-dependency|vscjava|0.27.6
Extension Pack for Java|vscjava.vscode-java-pack|vscjava|0.31.1
Test Runner for Java|vscjava.vscode-java-test|vscjava|0.46.0
Maven for Java|vscjava.vscode-maven|vscjava|0.45.3
Arduino Community Edition|vscode-arduino.vscode-arduino-community|vscode-arduino|0.7.2
Quick-Python-Print|weidawang.quick-python-print|WeidaWang|0.3.1
PHP Debug|xdebug.php-debug|xdebug|1.40.1

A/B Experiments

```
vsliv368:30146709
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
envsactivate1:31551504
editstats-enabled:31346257
cloudbuttont:31379625
42190218_ostrepl:31403339
56b7f661:31457055
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31526232
4je02754:31466945
c3h7c220:31478652
cp_cls_c_1081:31454833
conptydll_true:31498968
e9c30283:31461165
test_treatment2:31471001
c9b86496:31447327
capico_a_098a3278:31555650
idci7584:31464702
e3e4d672:31494082
ei9d7968:31496641
chat:31457767
8hig5102:31480529
89g7j272:31518289
7e187181:31503455
i2gc6536:31499202
52612955:31516516
ghj88844:31499326
h08i8180:31475369
ddid_t:31478206
hmra_i5g22:31518061
7df3h592:31512476
cp_cls_t_1082:31535311
logging_enabled_new:31498466
db5d2638:31499441
jb_cp_cls_t_632:31543129
748c7209:31512887
32d76977:31512328
ha629193:31508444
cdk-lw-on:31524445
f9bf7985:31543584
a1ije391_t:31540920
41836166:31537719
jbcp_cls_pctr_t:31531130
61138546:31518536
cp_intellij_t_nes:31548657
jf4hg949:31526829
nes-curr-leftover-1500:31538366
8hjh2968:31555644
h561g132:31533256
session_8:31532895
ihg5j128:31534457
f412h606:31551416
9gg7f176:31542112
sandbox-ui-on-2:31543161
nes-ex-cf-euporie-03:31542868
5fe6f778:31554331
allow-none:31555437
fd5dc207:31551400
nes-gb2-ctrl:31554343
0dg73464:31554319
d4c76da2:31554780
treatment-23-1:31555779
unuse_dynamic_mcp:31555281

```