Key Points

• Flexible Layout Customization
  You can rearrange anything on your screen—toggle panels on and off, move windows, and customize the layout to suit your workflow. The terminal, agent chat, search, and built-in browser can all be shown or hidden as needed.
• Two Ribbon Systems
  Anti-Gravity features two navigation ribbons: a side ribbon with commonly used tools, and a top menu bar with standard desktop commands (File, Edit, View, etc.). Most settings and features appear in multiple places throughout the interface.
• Menu Bar Capabilities
  The File menu handles opening/closing folders and saving. Edit provides search and replace functionality. View offers layout changes and a command palette. Multiple access points exist for the same features, so you'll find settings in various locations.
• Built-In Browser
  A sandboxed browser is included that doesn't keep your personal settings or login information—useful for research without affecting your regular browsing data.
• Theme Customization
  Themes can be changed from multiple locations in the interface. Kimberly notes you can find theme settings in the side ribbon, menus, and other areas.
• Side Panel Tools
  The left side panel includes: Explorer (main workspace), Search, Source Control (for GitHub—not covered in this class), Run and Debug (not needed for writing), Remote Explorer, and the Extensions marketplace.
• Extensions Marketplace Caution
  You can add powerful extensions like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and Microsoft Foundry. However, Kimberly strongly warns to only install from reputable, well-known sources. Check reviews, download counts, the developer's identity, and when the extension was last updated. Old, unmaintained extensions may pose security risks.
• Extension Vetting Example
  The Anthropic Claude extension (2.3 million downloads, 551 reviews, updated recently) is safe. But a 10-year-old word count extension, even from Microsoft, might be a security risk due to lack of updates.
• Additional Features
  The bottom panel shows notifications, screen reader optimization status, and settings access. A file outline feature displays markdown structure, and a timeline tracks file edits.
• Core Focus for Writers
  Despite the many features, writers mainly use the chat window and basic file operations. Don't be overwhelmed—the fancy features are optional.

Summary

In this session, Kimberly demonstrates how to customize the Anti-Gravity workspace to match your preferred workflow. She explains the flexible layout system where panels can be toggled, rearranged, and accessed from multiple locations. The interface includes two ribbon systems for navigation, a sandboxed browser for secure research, and extensive theme options. Kimberly walks through the side panel tools including the Explorer, Search, and Extensions marketplace—while issuing an important warning about extension safety. She advises checking reviews, download counts, developer reputation, and update recency before installing anything, as unmaintained extensions can pose security risks. The session concludes with a reminder that despite the wealth of features, writers primarily need the chat window and basic file management—so the complexity shouldn't be intimidating.