Cleats: Python Launchpad

Run and debug the current or last Python file in VS Code with minimal setup.

This extension keeps run/debug flows fast while preserving deterministic launch configuration behavior.

Why It Exists

Running and debugging Python files in VSCode quickly is inconvenient. Let's fix that.

Ctrl+Shift+F10 creates a launch configuration for the current script and runs it -- quick and easy.
Ctrl+F10 runs the last configuration again -- fast re-run.
Ctrl+Shift+F9 and Ctrl+F9 do the same for debugging -- debug with the same ease.
Run and debug multiple scripts simultaneously -- no more "A debug session is already active" errors.
Launchpad creates a Template configuration that allows for easy customization of launch options.

Depends on the Microsoft Python extension (ms-python.python) for Python debugging support.
Auto-detects test files (test*.py, *_test.py) and routes them to pytest or unittest using Python extension test settings.
In test files, Run/Debug Current File runs/debugs only the current function or method when the cursor is inside one, otherwise the whole module target.
Prints a terminal summary tail after each run with outcome, exit code, and runtime (green for success, red for failure).
Creates and updates only extension-managed debug configurations while existing managed target configurations are never overwritten once created.
Preserves user-managed launch configurations untouched.

Default shortcuts use Ctrl key combinations on all platforms:

Built-in command templates are fixed in code:

These templates are also written into managed launch configuration environment variables:

PYTHON_LAUNCHPAD_RUN_COMMAND
PYTHON_LAUNCHPAD_TEST_COMMAND
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.generatedLaunchNamePrefix
- Default: Launchpad
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.launchJsonPath
- Default: empty string
- Optional path that selects which launch.json Cleats manages in multi-root workspaces.
- Supports absolute file path to launch.json or a folder path (mapped to <folder>/.vscode/launch.json).
- If empty, Cleats uses the target Python file's workspace folder.
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.managedTargetConfigurationLimit
- Default: 10
- Limits managed Launchpad target entries per workspace-folder launch.json.
- If creating a new managed target exceeds the limit, the least-recent managed target (first in order) is removed.
- Existing targets keep their order when run/debugged again.
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.runOpenNewTerminalIfBusy
- Default: true
- If true, run commands open a new terminal when a previous Cleats run is still active.
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.debugOpenNewTerminalIfBusy
- Default: true
- If true, debug commands can launch an additional debug session when a matching target is already active.
cleatsPythonLaunchpad.terminalReveal
- Allowed values: always, silent, never

When you run or debug with Cleats, the extension manages two launch entries under your configured prefix:

Use Remove Managed Target Configurations to delete all managed target entries while preserving user-defined entries and the managed template entry.

Switched run/test command templates from user settings to fixed internal templates.
Added managed template env keys PYTHON_LAUNCHPAD_RUN_COMMAND and PYTHON_LAUNCHPAD_TEST_COMMAND.
Updated run/debug flows to resolve execution commands from managed target env values with safe fallbacks.
Changed managed target creation to copy only the relevant command template env key (run vs test) while preserving other env entries.
Kept existing managed target configurations intact on rerun/debug, including legacy-name reuse when the program path matches.
Changed managed target naming to use filename-only format (<prefix>: <python-file-name>).
Standardized default cwd behavior to workspace root for run tasks and pytest/unittest debug configs.
Removed runCommandTemplate and testCommandTemplate extension settings.
Added tests covering env-based template resolution and selective command-template env copying.

Consolidated command templates for running scripts, pytest, and unittest into a single testCommandTemplate.
Updated function signatures and internal logic in runCurrentFile and runLastFile to accommodate the new testCommandTemplate.
Introduced a new debugBusyTerminal module to manage debug session states and terminal behavior.
Enhanced launch configuration handling by allowing specification of launch.json paths and limiting managed target configurations.
Removed legacy environment variables related to run command templates and streamlined environment handling.
Updated pytest and unittest target selection interfaces to use unified testFunction and testTarget properties.
Improved runtime formatting in runTaskStatusText to provide more human-readable output.
Added tests to ensure correct behavior of new configurations and refactored existing tests to align with changes.

Added terminal-tail run summaries, including exit code and runtime for every run.
Added ANSI coloring for terminal-tail summaries (green success, red failure).
Removed status bar run lifecycle messages in favor of terminal-native completion output.
Tightened VSIX packaging via .vscodeignore to keep publish artifacts runtime-focused.