Commands Extension

One-click command runner for VS Code. Define commands in JSON or let the extension pick up your package.json scripts automatically — then run anything from a sidebar or panel with a single click.

No more switching to the terminal and typing the same commands over and over.

Quick Start

code --install-extension PavelKhabusov.commands-extension

1. Open a workspace in VS Code
2. Create commands-list.json in the root (or just have a package.json with scripts)
3. Click the Commands icon in the Activity Bar — done

Features

Sidebar & Panel

Access your commands from the Activity Bar sidebar or open a dedicated panel via Ctrl+Shift+P > Commands: Open Panel.

Collapsible Groups

Organize commands into named groups. Collapse/expand individual groups or all at once. Group state is preserved when commands update.

Favorites

Star any command to pin it to the Favorites group at the top. Favorites persist across sessions.

Move Commands Between Groups

Right-click any custom command to move it to a different group. The context menu shows all available custom groups. Works only for commands defined in commands-list.json (npm scripts stay in their group).

Multiple Shell Types

Add Commands from UI

Click + in the toolbar to add new commands without touching JSON. Pick an existing group or create a new one on the fly.

Terminal Reuse

Re-running a command reuses its existing terminal instead of spawning a new one. Use the Clear Terminals button to clean up.

Auto-Refresh

File watchers monitor commands-list.json and package.json — the UI updates instantly when you save changes.

Marketplace Templates

The built-in Recommended section offers ready-made command sets for popular stacks:

Click + on a template to add the whole set, or expand it and add individual commands.

Theme-Aware

Uses VS Code CSS variables — looks native in any theme (light, dark, high contrast).

commands-list.json Format

{
  "commands": [
    {
      "name": "Build Project",
      "command": "npm run build",
      "type": "terminal",
      "group": "Build"
    },
    {
      "name": "Start Server",
      "command": "server.js",
      "type": "node",
      "group": "Dev"
    },
    {
      "name": "Deploy",
      "command": "./scripts/deploy.ps1",
      "type": "pwsh",
      "group": "Deploy"
    }
  ]
}

Fields

package.json Scripts

Scripts from your package.json are auto-imported under the npm scripts group:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsc -p ./",
    "test": "jest",
    "start": "node server.js"
  }
}

These appear as npm run build, npm run test, npm run start.

Configuration

Requirements

• VS Code 1.85.0+

License

MIT