Documentation

Virdl earns you money while you code. Small, non-intrusive ads appear in your editor's sidebar and status bar — and you get paid for every verified view. Pick your editor below and the steps adjust to match.

Install on VS Code →Create account

Your editor

1. Install the extension

Open your editor's plugin manager

Open the Extensions panel. Press Ctrl+Shift+X/Cmd+Shift+X.

Search for Virdl

Type Virdl in the search box and look for the listing by MalayDev.

Or go directly to the VS Code Marketplace listing and click Install.

Click Install

Your editor installs and activates Virdl automatically. You'll see a Virdl icon appear in the Activity Bar on the left edge of the window.

The Virdl panel opens with a Sign in with GitHub / Google button. In VS Code that's the whole setup — the steps below are only needed if you'd rather paste an API key manually.

2. Create your account

Sign in with GitHub or Google

Go to virdl.com/login and click Continue with GitHub or Continue with Google. We use OAuth to verify you're a real developer — no separate password to manage.

Open your dashboard

After signing in you'll land on your dashboard. This is where you can see your balance, earnings history, and manage payouts.

Generate an API key

On the dashboard, find the Editor API key card and click Generate key.

Copy the key immediately — it's only shown once. If you lose it you can always regenerate a new one.

Your API key starts with virdl_live_. Keep it private — it links ad views to your account.

3. Connect your editor to your account

Fastest way (VS Code): open the Virdl sidebar panel and click Sign in with GitHub / Google. Your browser opens, you authorize, and the editor connects automatically — no key to copy. The manual steps below are the fallback (and the current flow for IntelliJ).

Open VS Code's Command Palette

In VS Code, press Ctrl+Shift+P/Cmd+Shift+P to open Command Palette.

Run Virdl: Set API Key

Type Virdl: Set API Key and press Enter. A secure input will appear — paste your key and press Enter.

The key is stored in your editor's built-in secret store (VS Code's Secret Storage or IntelliJ's PasswordSafe), not in a plain settings file. It never touches disk in plaintext.

Confirm it's working

Run Virdl: Show Earnings. You should see "You've earned $0.00 so far." — that means the key is valid and you're connected.

The Virdl sidebar panel will also load your first ad within a few seconds.

How earning works

Ads rotate automatically every 40 seconds while your editor is focused.

Only real views pay. An impression is only credited if the ad was genuinely on screen for a minimum amount of time (measured server-side, not client-reported). Clicks are tracked for advertisers but don't affect your earnings — only views do.

Three surfaces, all optional. Ads appear in the sidebar panel, the status bar, and a small "Sponsored" section by the file tree. You can disable each one individually in your editor's settings.

Your balance updates in real-time on your dashboard. Check it any time at virdl.com/dashboard.

Commands

Run any of these from VS Code's Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P/Cmd+Shift+P), then start typing the command name.

Command	What it does
`Virdl: Set API Key`	Connect your dashboard account to this editor. Run this once after installing.
`Virdl: Show Earnings`	Show a quick popup with your current balance.
`Virdl: Refresh Ad`	Manually rotate to a new ad right now.
`Virdl: Pause Ads`	Temporarily stop showing ads and stop the rotation timer.
`Virdl: Resume Ads`	Resume after pausing.
`Virdl: Open Settings`	Jump straight to Virdl's settings in your editor.

Settings

In VS Code, Open Settings and search for virdl. (Ctrl+,/Cmd+,)

Setting	Default	Description
`virdl.enabled`	on	Master on/off switch. Turn off to pause everything.
`virdl.showInSidebar`	on	Show the ad card in the Virdl sidebar panel.
`virdl.showInStatusBar`	on	Show a small rotating ad in the status bar.
`virdl.showInExplorer`	on	Show a small "Sponsored" section next to the file tree.
`virdl.shareTechStack`	on	Detect your project's languages/frameworks (from manifest files like package.json) to show more relevant ads. Only canonical tag names are sent, never file contents or paths.

Payouts

Minimum balance$10.00

Payout cycleOn withdraw request, manual review

MethodPaypal, Stripe, Crypto(USDT)

FeesNone taken from Virdl, fees might be applied by the payment platform

When your balance reaches $10, a Request withdrawal button appears on your dashboard. Click it to submit a request — we review and pay out manually at the end of each month. You'll hear from us via the email on your account.

Virdl is in beta. Payouts are real and being processed, but the payment flow is manual while we scale up. See our Terms of Service for the full payout policy.

FAQ

Does Virdl see my code?

The extension never reads your files, file names, or editor state. We only see ad interaction data (impressions, clicks).

What if no ads are available?

Virdl shows nothing and silently waits for the next rotation. You won't see an empty or broken panel.

Can I use Virdl with Copilot, Claude, Cursor, etc.?

Yes — Virdl works alongside any AI assistant or tool with no conflicts.

Will it drain my battery or slow my editor?

No. Virdl is lightweight and makes small network requests on a simple timer. Zero measurable impact on editor performance.

I lost my API key. What do I do?

Go to your dashboard, click "Regenerate key" on the API key card, then run "Virdl: Set API Key" in your editor with the new key. Your old key is revoked immediately.

How do I uninstall from VS Code?

Open Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X), search Virdl, and click Uninstall. Your account and earned balance are preserved — you can reinstall anytime.

Still stuck? Report a bug and we'll get back to you.