Pipenv Helper for VS Code 🐍
Bring PyCharm-like Pipenv support to Visual Studio Code.
Pipenv Helper detects Pipfile projects, manages Pipenv virtual environments, keeps your environment in sync with Pipfile.lock, and integrates cleanly with the VS Code Python extension — without shell hacks or surprises.
📦 Requirements
- pipenv available on PATH
- VS Code Python extension recommended
✨ Features
🔍 Automatic Pipenv Detection
- Activates when a
Pipfile is present
- Detects whether a Pipenv virtual environment exists
- Offers to create one if missing
🧠 Smart Environment Sync
- Detects when
Pipfile.lock changes
- Tracks lockfile hashes to prevent repeated prompts
- Clearly shows when your environment is:
- Synced
- Out of sync
- Missing a lockfile
📊 Status Bar Integration
A persistent status indicator appears in the VS Code status bar: Pipenv: my-project ✔ synced
Click it to access quick actions:
- Activate environment in terminal
- Sync environment
- Lock dependencies
- Recreate environment
- Use Pipenv interpreter
🖥️ Activate Virtualenv in Terminal (One Click)
Activate the Pipenv virtual environment in your current terminal with a single click.
- Uses standard virtualenv activation
- No
pipenv shell
- No subshells
- No surprise behavior
This matches how PyCharm and the VS Code Python extension work internally.
🐍 Python Interpreter Auto-Configuration
- Automatically sets
python.defaultInterpreterPath
- Works with:
- Linting
- Debugging
- Testing
- Tasks
- New terminals activate the environment automatically (via VS Code Python extension)
🚀 How It Works
| Action |
Who Handles It |
| Create virtualenv |
Pipenv |
| Select Python interpreter |
Pipenv Helper |
| Activate terminal |
VS Code Python extension |
| Dependency locking |
Pipenv |
| Sync enforcement |
Pipenv Helper |
No shell hijacking. No opinionated workflows.
⚙️ Commands
Available via Command Palette or Status Bar:
- Pipenv: Setup Environment
- Pipenv: Sync Environment
- Pipenv: Lock Dependencies
- Pipenv: Select Interpreter
- Pipenv: Activate Environment in Terminal
⚡ Configuration
{
"pipenvHelper.preferLockfile": true,
"pipenvHelper.autoPromptOnOpen": true,
"pipenvHelper.autoPromptOnChange": true
}
Settings Explained
| Setting |
Description |
preferLockfile |
Prefer syncing from Pipfile.lock |
autoPromptOnOpen |
Prompt on workspace open |
autoPromptOnChange |
Prompt when Pipfile / lock changes |
Run locally
npm installnpm run compile- Open this folder in VS Code
- Press
F5 to launch Extension Development Host
Testing
npm test to run tests oncenpm run test:watch for watch mode
Commands
- Pipenv: Activate environment in terminal
- Pipenv: Setup (Create/Select Env + Sync)
- Pipenv: Lock Dependencies
- Pipenv: Sync Environment (Install from Lock)
- Pipenv: Use Pipenv Interpreter
