Saturno FancyHeader

Insert consistent file headers with one command. Language-aware, configurable, and ready for real project templates.

Saturno FancyHeader is a VS Code extension that inserts structured file headers using the active language comment syntax plus file, project, date, and author metadata. It gives source files a clean, repeatable header without hand-written boilerplate.

Maintained by Saturno.Software.

Quick Start

Install from VSIX

code --install-extension saturno-fancy-header-1.1.2.vsix

Use

Open a file in VS Code
Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Run Saturno: Add Header

Optional template commands:

Saturno: New Header Template
Saturno: Edit Header Templates

Default output:

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//   File      : example.ts
//   Project   : my-project
//   Date      : 2026-05-31
//   Copyright : 2026
//   Copyright : Mateus <mateus@example.com>
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Features

Language-Aware -- Uses the active VS Code language comment syntax automatically
Metadata-Driven -- Inserts file name, project name, date, and author information
Template-Based -- Supports inline template lines, external template files, and named template pickers
Command Palette Friendly -- Create, edit, and apply templates without leaving the editor
Cross-Platform -- Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux with platform-correct template paths
Zero Config -- Works out of the box with sensible defaults

Installation

From GitHub Release

Download the latest .vsix from Releases, then install it:

code --install-extension saturno-fancy-header-1.1.2.vsix

From Source

git clone https://github.com/SaturnoSoftware/vscode-fancy-header
cd vscode-fancy-header
git submodule update --init --recursive
npm install
npm run package
code --install-extension __DIST/*.vsix

Requirements

VS Code ^1.88.0

Configuration

All settings are available in the VS Code Settings UI under Saturno FancyHeader, or in settings.json.

Minimal template-file setup:

{
  "saturno-fancy-header.templateFile": "${workspaceFolder}/_header-template.txt"
}

If templateFile is set, FancyHeader reads the template body from that file and does not require templateLines to be configured as well.

Advanced overrides (optional):

{
  "saturno-fancy-header.lineWidth": 80,
  "saturno-fancy-header.fillChar": "-",
  "saturno-fancy-header.templateFile": "${workspaceFolder}/_header-template.txt",
  "saturno-fancy-header.authorName": "",
  "saturno-fancy-header.authorEmail": "",
  "saturno-fancy-header.templateLines": [
    "  File      : FILENAME",
    "  Project   : PROJECT",
    "  Date      : DATE",
    "  Copyright : YEAR",
    "  Copyright : USER_NAME <USER_EMAIL>"
  ]
}

Setting	Default	Description
`lineWidth`	`80`	Total width of generated header lines
`fillChar`	`"-"`	Border fill character
`templateFile`	`""`	Optional external template file
`templates`	`[]`	Optional named template files shown in a picker
`authorName`	`""`	Optional author name override
`authorEmail`	`""`	Optional author email override
`templateLines`	default list	Inline template body with placeholders

Supported placeholders:

FILENAME
PROJECT
DATE
YEAR
USER_NAME
USER_EMAIL

Template File Example

Create _header-template.txt:

  File      : ${FILENAME}
  Project   : ${PROJECT}
  Date      : ${DATE}
  Author    : ${USER_NAME} <${USER_EMAIL}>

Then point templateFile to it.

FancyHeader also auto-discovers template files named _header-*.txt in the same template directory and in the default user template folder, so if you add a new file there it is picked up automatically in the template picker.

If you define templates, FancyHeader merges those named entries with the discovered files and opens a Quick Pick when more than one template is available.

Commands

Command	Title	Description
`saturno-fancy-header.addHeader`	`Saturno: Add Header`	Insert a header with the active template and language comment syntax
`saturno-fancy-header.newTemplate`	`Saturno: New Header Template`	Create a new template file, register it, and open it
`saturno-fancy-header.editTemplates`	`Saturno: Edit Header Templates`	Pick and open an existing template file

How It Works

FancyHeader reads VS Code language configuration to determine the correct line comment syntax for the active document, then fills the selected template with:

current file name
workspace or project name
current date and year
author name and email from settings, Git config, or local user information

Template selection follows this order:

named template chosen from templates
external file from templateFile
inline templateLines

Local Development

git submodule update --init --recursive
npm install
npm test
npm run build
npm run package

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please:

follow existing code style
add tests for new features
submit pull requests against main

License

GPL-3.0 -- See LICENSE.txt for details.

Maintained by Saturno.Software.

FAQ

Q: Does it work with different programming languages?
A: Yes. FancyHeader uses the active VS Code language comment syntax, so it works anywhere VS Code exposes a line-comment style.

Q: Can I use my own header template file?
A: Yes. Set saturno-fancy-header.templateFile to a text file, or configure multiple named templates with saturno-fancy-header.templates.

Q: Where do author name and email come from?
A: From the extension settings first, then Git config when available, then local user information as a fallback.

Q: How do I install without a marketplace listing?
A: Download or build the .vsix, then run code --install-extension path-to-file.vsix.

Links

Made with <3 by Saturno.Software

Saturno Software