Provide a built-in way to route arbitrary external links to the integrated browser

[frznn]

Problem

VS Code has an integrated browser, but there does not appear to be a documented built-in way for arbitrary external http/https links to open there when they come through normal external-link flows.

As far as I can tell today:

• workbench.browser.openLocalhostLinks only covers localhost links
• workbench.externalBrowser is documented for choosing an external browser, not the integrated browser
• extensions using vscode.env.openExternal(...) still send normal external links to the system browser unless they implement extra opener logic themselves

Feature request

Please add a documented built-in way for users and extensions to route arbitrary external http/https links to the integrated browser.

Possible shapes:

• allow workbench.externalBrowser to target the integrated browser
• add a separate setting for opening external links in the integrated browser
• add a first-class API/option so extensions can request "open this external URL in the integrated browser"

Why this would help

Extensions such as OpenAI Codex surface documentation and reference links inside the editor UI. Being able to keep those links inside VS Code would reduce context switching and make the integrated browser useful beyond localhost and preview flows.

Related issues / why I think this is broader

I found #300003, which asks for markdown links to open in the integrated browser. That request is close, but narrower than what I'm asking for here.

This issue is about a broader built-in capability for arbitrary external links, including extension-driven flows such as openExternal(...), not only markdown editor behavior.

Related background:

• Feature Request: Add vscode setting to open markdown file links in Integrated Browser instead of default external browser #300003
• Let extensions hook into url opening #109277
• Test external uri opener API proposal #114962

Environment

• VS Code: 1.116.0
• Platform: Linux x64

[vs-code-engineering]

This feature request is now a candidate for our backlog. The community has 60 days to upvote the issue. If it receives 20 upvotes we will move it to our backlog. If not, we will close it. To learn more about how we handle feature requests, please see our documentation.

Happy Coding!

[AnrDaemon]

More than that, there's no way to route an arbitrary file:/// link to the browser.

I want to view the sonarqube report without going through the loops of copypaste and command fiddling. Especially not when I'm developing remotely. And the file://// link points inside the remote host connected through SSH, or inside a dev container.

[gjsjohnmurray]

• add a first-class API/option so extensions can request "open this external URL in the integrated browser"

This is how my extension achieves this;

vscode.commands.executeCommand("workbench.action.browser.open", uri.toString(true)):