Angular Test Explorer · Copilot Ready
A VS Code extension for running and visualizing Angular unit tests — supports both Vitest (@angular/build:unit-test) and Karma out of the box.
Features
- Auto-detects your test runner from
angular.json and Vitest config — no setup required
- Sidebar tree view with tests grouped by file and
describe block
- Run tests at any scope: all, file,
describe, or individual it
- Watch mode with automatic re-run on file changes
- Click-to-navigate to test definitions in source
- Inline pass/fail status, durations, and failure details
- Problems panel integration for failed tests
- Status bar summary of current test results
- GitHub Copilot integration — use natural language to run and inspect tests from Copilot Chat
GitHub Copilot Integration
If you have GitHub Copilot installed, this extension provides language model tools that Copilot can use automatically in Agent Mode. Just ask Copilot a question about your tests in natural language.
| Tool |
What it does |
Example prompt |
#angularTestSummary |
Returns pass/fail/skip counts |
"How are my Angular tests doing?" |
#angularFailedTests |
Lists all failing tests with error details |
"What Angular tests are failing?" |
#angularRunAllTests |
Runs all tests in the workspace |
"Run all my Angular tests" |
#angularRunTestsByTag |
Runs tests by tag name |
"Run Angular tests tagged smoke" |
#angularRunComponentTests |
Runs tests for a specific component |
"Run Angular tests for LoginComponent" |
#angularListTags |
Lists all tags with test counts |
"What Angular test tags do I have?" |
#angularAutoTag |
AI-powered auto-tagging by feature area |
"Auto-tag my Angular tests" |
AI-Powered Auto-Tagging
The #angularAutoTag tool uses AI to analyze all your Angular tests and automatically group them into meaningful tags by feature area. It reads test names, file paths, and describe blocks, identifies logical patterns (e.g. authentication, routing, forms, HTTP, error-handling), and applies the tags to your test suite.
This is particularly useful for large codebases where manually tagging hundreds of tests would be impractical. Once tagged, you can run subsets of tests by tag — either from the sidebar or via Copilot (e.g. "Run Angular tests tagged auth").
- Existing tags are preserved by default — only untagged tests get new tags
- To re-tag everything, say "Re-tag all my Angular tests from scratch"
How to Use
- Open Copilot Chat in VS Code.
- Switch to Agent Mode (the tools are invoked automatically based on your prompt).
- Ask a question like "Run my Angular smoke tests" or "What Angular tests are failing?".
- Copilot identifies the right tool, shows a confirmation, and executes it.
- Test results update in the Angular Test Explorer · Copilot Ready sidebar in real time — the same UI you already know.
You can also reference any tool directly in chat with #, for example: #angularRunTestsByTag run the regression suite.
Note: GitHub Copilot is not required to use this extension. All sidebar features work independently. The Copilot tools are an optional enhancement for developers who have Copilot installed.
Runner Detection
| Builder |
Runner |
@angular/build:unit-test |
Vitest |
@angular-devkit/build-angular:karma |
Karma |
| Vitest config present |
Vitest |
Runs ng test under the hood, preserving full Angular CLI compatibility.
Quick Start
- Open an Angular workspace in VS Code.
- Open the Angular Test Explorer · Copilot Ready view in the Activity Bar.
- Click any test node to run it.
License
MIT
