UE5 Development Tools for VS Code

A VS Code extension that adds proper UE5.6 project support with solution explorer, building, and C++ IntelliSense setup.

What it does

• Detects UE5 projects automatically when you open a folder with a .uproject file
• Shows your project structure in a solution explorer (Source, Content, Config, Plugins)
• Builds your project and plugins from VS Code
• Sets up C++ IntelliSense so your includes work properly
• Launches UE5 editor directly from VS Code

Installation

1. Install the extension
2. Open a folder that contains a .uproject file
3. Set your UE5 engine path in settings if it doesn't auto-detect

Basic Usage

Open command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and type "UE5:" to see available commands:

• Generate Project Files - Run this after adding new C++ classes
• Build Development - Standard development build
• Build DebugGame - For debugging (Note: "Debug" config doesn't work with installed UE5)
• Build Shipping - Release build
• Open Unreal Engine - Launches editor with your project
• Clean Build - Removes build files

Plugin Support

Plugins show up in the solution explorer under the Plugins folder. Right-click buildable plugins (ones with source code) to build them individually.

Settings

{
  "ue5.enginePath": "C:\\Program Files\\Epic Games\\UE_5.6",
  "ue5.defaultBuildConfiguration": "Development",
  "ue5.defaultPlatform": "Win64"
}

Common Issues

Build fails with "Debug configuration not supported": Use DebugGame instead of Debug when working with installed UE5.

IntelliSense showing errors: Click "Refresh C++ Configuration" in the solution explorer or run the command from the palette.

Engine not found: Set ue5.enginePath in your VS Code settings to point to your UE5 installation.

Plugins not building: Make sure the plugin has a Source folder with actual code in it.

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.74+
• Unreal Engine 5.6
• Visual Studio 2022 with C++ tools

Development

npm install
npm run compile

Press F5 to test the extension in a new VS Code window.