Snippet Browser
A Visual Studio Code extension that discovers, filters, and inserts Talon-style .snippet files from a local folder.
Features
- Browse & Filter: Use the Command Palette to select a language (or All) and pick from available snippets.
- Configurable Folder: Set your snippet directory with
Snippet Browser: Set Snippet Folder or via the snippetbrowser.snippetPath setting.
- Quick C# Inserts: One-command insertion of common C#
if and for snippets.
- Auto-Prompt: On first use (when no folder is defined), prompts you to select the snippet folder.
Commands
| Command |
ID |
Description |
| Snippet Browser: Open |
snippetbrowser.open |
Browse languages and insert a snippet |
| Snippet Browser: Set Snippet Folder |
snippetbrowser.setSnippetPath |
Configure or change your .snippet folder |
| Snippet Browser: Insert C# If Statement |
snippetbrowser.insertIfCsharp |
Quickly insert the C# ifStatement snippet |
| Snippet Browser: Insert C# For Loop |
snippetbrowser.insertForCsharp |
Quickly insert the C# for loop snippet |
Configuration
// in settings.json
autoComplete: false,
{
"snippetbrowser.snippetPath": "", // set to your .snippet folder path
}
- snippetbrowser.snippetPath: (string) Absolute or workspace-relative path to your
.snippet files folder.
A .snippet file uses a custom YAML-like format to define Talon-style snippets. Here's how it works:
Features
- Custom file extension
.snippet.
- Supports syntax highlighting and auto-formatting via the andreas-talon VS Code extension.
- Supports both insertion and wrapper snippets (wrapper snippets require Cursorless).
- Allows phrase formatters to transform spoken phrases.
- Use
--- on a line by itself to separate multiple snippet documents in one file.
- Within each document, use a single
- line to separate the context metadata (above) from the snippet body (below).
- Optionally include a top-level context block (no body) to define default values inherited by following documents.
- Context keys that support multiple values use
| to separate entries (e.g., language: javascript | java).
Context Fields
| Key |
Required |
Multiple Values |
Example |
| name |
Yes |
No |
name: ifStatement |
| description |
No |
No |
description: My snippet |
| language |
No |
Yes |
language: javascript | java |
| phrase |
No |
Yes |
phrase: if | else |
| insertionScope |
No |
Yes |
insertionScope: statement |
name: Unique identifier for the snippet.description: A human-readable explanation.language: Language ID(s) in which the snippet is active.phrase: Spoken phrases to trigger insertion.insertionScope: Insertion context for wrapper/snippet tools.
Variables for Tab Stops & Wrappers
You can also define context for individual tab stops (e.g., $0, $1) or variables:
| Key |
Required |
Multiple Values |
Example |
| insertionFormatter |
No |
Yes |
$0.insertionFormatter: SNAKE_CASE |
| wrapperPhrase |
No |
Yes |
$0.wrapperPhrase: try | trying |
| wrapperScope |
No |
No |
$0.wrapperScope: statement |
insertionFormatter: Formatter applied to the inserted phrase.wrapperPhrase: Spoken form for wrapper snippets (Cursorless).wrapperScope: Scope used when wrapping.
To enable formatting, code completion, and syntax highlighting for .snippet files, install the andreas-talon extension.
Single snippet definition
Multiple snippet definitions
Default context and multiple values
Usage
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+P and run Snippet Browser: Open.
- Select a language (or All).
- Pick a snippet by name (see description and phrase hints).
- Snippet code will be inserted at your cursor.
On first run, if no snippet folder is configured, an open-folder dialog will prompt you to select it automatically.
Build & Test
# Install deps
npm install
# Compile
npm run compile
# or watch mode
npm run watch
# Run & Debug
# Press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host
# Lint & Test
npm run lint
npm test
Package & Publish
# Bump version in package.json
# Compile before publishing
npm run compile
# Create .vsix
envs, vsce package
# Publish to Marketplace
envs, vsce publish
For more information, see the extension guidelines and the snippet format spec.
