DeepSeek + VS Code on WSL: A Copilot Alternative

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Intro.

Looking for a low-cost, capable coding assistant? I replaced GitHub Copilot with DeepSeek inside VS Code on Windows 11 + WSL Ubuntu. Setup took under 10 minutes — here's the concise version.

1. Account and API Key

Signed up at platform.deepseek.com → created an API key → added $5 credits (pay-as-you-go, very cheap).

2. VS Code and OpenCode Extension (WSL)

In VS Code connected to WSL Ubuntu, installed OpenCode extension from marketplace. Opened its settings and connected to DeepSeek Flash with my API key.

3. Test with Real Prompts (VS Code Agents Tutorial)

Followed the official tutorial — used DeepSeek to generate a todo app (HTML/CSS/JS), then enhanced it with "strikethrough for completed tasks". It worked seamlessly for local agent tasks.

Example prompt that worked perfectly:
"Create a simple todo app with input field, list, and delete buttons."
→ DeepSeek generated 3 files instantly.

Final Takeaway

DeepSeek Flash via OpenCode is fast, affordable, and privacy-friendly (local model available for download). Advanced Copilot agent modes (plan/cloud) aren't supported yet, but for daily coding, it's a great substitute. Total cost so far: under $0.10.