🚀 npm-play — Run npm scripts like a pro

npm-play is a lightweight VS Code extension that lets you run, debug, and monitor package.json scripts directly from the editor — with zero config and zero friction.

Think of it as npm scripts, but actually pleasant.

✨ Features

▶ Run scripts inline (CodeLens)

• Every script in package.json gets a ▶ Run button
• No terminal typing
• No argument prompts
• Just click and go

🟢 Script status badges

Each script shows a live status badge:

Hover over a script to see:

🚀 npm-play — Run npm scripts like a pro

npm-play is a lightweight VS Code extension that lets you run, debug, and monitor package.json scripts directly from the editor — with zero config and zero friction.

Think of it as npm scripts, but actually pleasant.

✨ Features

▶ Run scripts inline (CodeLens)

• Every script in package.json gets a ▶ Run button
• No terminal typing
• No argument prompts
• Just click and go

🟢 Script status badges

Each script shows a live status badge:

Hover over a script to see:

• Last run time
• Run count
• Exit status

🧭 Script launcher (Command Palette)

Run scripts across your workspace:

Open the Command Palette and run: npm-play: Run Script

• Finds all package.json files
• Works great in monorepos
• Fast fuzzy search

🐞 Debug scripts

Optional Debug CodeLens:

• Runs scripts with NODE_OPTIONS=--inspect-brk
• Best-effort debugging (works when the script runs Node)

Enable via settings.

🛑 Danger-zone protection

Scripts that look destructive (e.g. clean, rm, reset, prune) trigger a confirmation dialog before running.

You stay safe without being slowed down.

📊 Run statistics (just for fun)

npm-play tracks per script:

• Run count
• Last run time
• Last exit code

Stored in workspace state — nothing global.

📍 Status bar launcher

Quick access from the status bar (configurable):

npm-play ▶

⚙️ Configuration

All settings are optional. Defaults work out of the box.

Open: Settings → Extensions → npm-play

Or edit .vscode/settings.json.

Available settings

{
  "npmPlay.packageManager": "auto",
  "npmPlay.showDebugLens": false,
  "npmPlay.enableStatusBar": true,
  "npmPlay.statusBarText": "npm-play ▶",
  "npmPlay.dangerConfirm": true,
  "npmPlay.terminalPerScript": true
}

Setting details

🧠 Smart package manager detection

When set to auto, npm-play detects the package manager based on lock files:

• pnpm-lock.yaml → pnpm
• yarn.lock → yarn
• package-lock.json → npm

🚫 What npm-play intentionally does NOT do

• ❌ No argument prompts
• ❌ No task configuration required
• ❌ No background daemons
• ❌ No telemetry
• ❌ No magic config files

Fast. Predictable. Explicit.

🧩 Perfect for

• Monorepos
• Frontend + backend projects
• Open source maintainers
• Anyone tired of retyping npm run build

🛠 Development

npm install
npm run build
npm test

[!NOTE] Bundled with esbuild, tested with Vitest.