Atomize for VS Code

Preview and generate repeatable task breakdowns from reusable YAML templates inside VS Code.

Atomize helps teams turn stories into consistent child tasks. Author Atomize YAML files with schema completions, validate them, preview the task plan, and generate tasks only after an explicit confirmation step.

Compatibility: Atomize is designed around platform adapters. Today, connected generation supports Azure DevOps. Mock is available for offline testing.

Requirements

Atomize for VS Code uses the Atomize CLI for validation, preview, profile management, and generation.

Install the CLI:

npm install -g @sppg2001/atomize

By default, the extension runs the atomize executable on your PATH. You can change this with the atomize.cliPath setting. If the CLI is missing or outdated, the extension can run its configured install/update command in a visible terminal.

The extension also recommends the Red Hat YAML extension for schema-backed hovers and completions.

First Workflow

1. Install the Atomize CLI.
2. Open or create an Atomize YAML file.
3. Run Atomize: Validate to check the template.
4. Run Atomize: Preview (Mock) to simulate generated tasks without connecting to a platform.
5. Configure a Connection Profile with Atomize: Manage Profiles when you are ready to use connected workflows.
6. Run Atomize: Preview (Live) to preview against a real Story.
7. Run Atomize: Generate to review the plan and create Tasks only after confirmation.

Atomize previews by default. Creating Tasks requires the Generate flow and an explicit confirmation.

Atomize YAML

Use .atomize.yaml or .atomize.yml for the full editor experience: CodeLens actions, save-time diagnostics, schema hovers, completions, and snippets.

You can also add # atomize-yaml on the first line of a regular YAML file. The extension may identify matching YAML content during a session, but a durable marker is recommended for team templates.

version: "1.0"
name: "Feature Breakdown"

filter:
  workItemTypes: ["Story"]

tasks:
  - title: "Design: ${story.title}"
    estimationPercent: 20
  - title: "Build: ${story.title}"
    estimationPercent: 60
  - title: "Validate: ${story.title}"
    estimationPercent: 20

Commands

• Atomize: Validate checks the active Template and opens a Validation Report for explicit runs.
• Atomize: Preview (Mock) runs an offline Mock Preview from entered Story fields.
• Atomize: Preview (Live) runs a connected dry run against a real Story.
• Atomize: Generate previews the generation result, then creates Tasks only after confirmation.
• Atomize: Manage Profiles adds, tests, rotates, removes, and selects Connection Profiles.
• Atomize: Browse Catalog opens Templates and Mixins from the Template Library.
• Atomize: Browse Fields looks up platform fields for a selected Connection Profile.
• Atomize: Browse Queries looks up saved queries for a selected Connection Profile.
• Atomize: Show Effective Template opens the fully Resolved Template.
• Atomize: Open Settings opens extension settings.

For durable Atomize YAML files, the main file actions also appear as CodeLens commands at the top of the editor.

Validation And Preview

Offline Validation checks Template structure without credentials.

Online Validation uses a Connection Profile to verify platform-specific fields and query references. The extension always asks which profile to use before an explicit validation run. A workspace default profile may preselect an item, but it does not run connected validation silently.

Mock Preview does not connect to a platform and does not create Tasks.

Live Preview reads a real Story through a Connection Profile and shows the generated task breakdown as a dry run. It does not create Tasks.

Connection Profiles

Run Atomize: Manage Profiles to add, test, rotate, remove, or set a default Connection Profile.

Profiles are owned by the Atomize CLI. The extension asks the CLI for profile state and does not store credentials itself.

For credential scopes and platform-specific setup, see the Auth Guide.

Settings

• atomize.cliPath: path to the Atomize CLI executable.
• atomize.cli.installCommand: command run in a visible terminal to install or update the default CLI.
• atomize.cli.autoCheckUpdates: check for stable CLI updates when using the default CLI executable.
• atomize.defaultProfile: workspace-scoped profile name to preselect in Validate, Live Preview, and Generate pickers.
• atomize.previewLayout: preview panel layout, either default or compact.

Documentation

• VS Code Extension Guide
• Documentation Index
• Workflows
• Template Creation
• Template Reference
• Validation Modes
• CLI Reference

Screenshots

Author Atomize YAML

Validate Templates

Preview With Mock Data

Preview A Live Story

Generate After Confirmation