Sails.js Support for Visual Studio Code

⛵ Not sure what Sails.js is? Check out the official website at sailsjs.com!

This extension brings advanced Sails.js development features to Visual Studio Code, powered by a custom language server tailored for the Sails.js framework. It provides deep project awareness, smart completions, navigation, diagnostics, and more for a productive Sails.js experience.

Features

🚀 Command Palette Generators

Run Sails generators directly from VS Code's Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P):

Command	Description
`Sails: Generate Action`	Create a new action at `api/controllers/`
`Sails: Generate Model`	Create a new model at `api/models/`
`Sails: Generate Helper`	Create a new helper at `api/helpers/`
`Sails: Generate Hook`	Create a new Sails hook
`Sails: Generate Response`	Create a custom response at `api/responses/`
`Sails: Generate Adapter`	Create a custom adapter at `api/adapters/`

⚡ Quick Fixes

When you reference an action or model that doesn't exist, the extension offers a quick fix to generate it automatically. Just click the lightbulb or press Cmd/Ctrl + . to generate the missing file instantly.

🔄 Auto-Refresh Validation

The extension automatically refreshes validation when files are created, deleted, or renamed in api/ and config/ directories. No more stale errors!

💡 Completions (IntelliSense)

Controller action completions in routes.js and controller files
Model attribute completions in criteria, .select, .omit, .sort, and .populate (with association awareness)
Model method and chainable method completions (e.g., User.find().select)
Data type completions for model and input definitions
Model attribute property completions (e.g., type, required, defaultsTo, etc.)
Input property completions for helpers and controllers
View, policy, and Inertia page completions
Sails model completions (e.g., sails.models.user)
Helper completions (e.g., sails.helpers.mail.send)

🔗 Go to Definition

Jump to controller actions from routes.js
Jump to views, policies, models, helpers, and Inertia pages from references
Jump to model attributes from query criteria
Jump to helper inputs from .with() calls

🔍 Diagnostics & Validation

Detects missing or invalid controller actions in routes.js
Detects missing models and validates model existence
Validates model attribute existence in criteria, .select, .omit, .sort, and .populate
Validates helper input properties in .with() calls
Validates required model attributes and helper inputs
Validates model attribute types and flags unrecognized types
Validates auto-migration strategies in config/models.js
Validates policies and Inertia pages
Reports problems directly in the Problems panel

🛠️ Quick Fixes

Generate missing actions directly from error diagnostics
Generate missing models directly from error diagnostics

📝 EJS Template Support

Syntax highlighting for .ejs files
Language configuration for EJS templates

Requirements

A Sails.js project with a .sailsrc file in the root directory
Node.js and npm installed
Sails CLI for generator commands (npm install -g sails or use npx)

Extension Activation

This extension activates when it detects a .sailsrc file in your workspace, indicating a Sails.js project.

Sails.js Project Structure

This extension provides enhanced support for the standard Sails.js project structure:

your-sails-app/
├── api/
│   ├── controllers/
│   ├── models/
│   ├── policies/
│   ├── helpers/
│   ├── responses/
│   └── adapters/
├── config/
│   ├── routes.js
│   └── models.js
├── views/
└── .sailsrc

For more information on the Sails.js project structure, visit the Sails.js documentation.

Troubleshooting

Go to Definition doesn't work for custom actions

Make sure your actions follow the Sails.js naming conventions and are placed in the correct directories. For example, api/controllers/user/create.js for a user/create action.

Completions are not showing up

Ensure you are editing files within a recognized Sails.js project structure and that your models, controllers, and configuration files follow Sails.js conventions.

Generator commands show "No workspace folder found"

Make sure you have a folder open in VS Code that contains your Sails.js project.

Validation errors persist after creating a file

The extension automatically refreshes when files are created or deleted. If issues persist, try saving the file you're editing to trigger a refresh.

Sails