VSCode Command Server Extension

A VSCode extension that provides an HTTP server to execute VSCode commands from external applications like Python, TypeScript, curl, and more.

Features

• 🚀 HTTP Server: Exposes VSCode commands via REST API
• 🔧 Command Execution: Execute any VSCode command remotely
• 📝 Command Discovery: Get list of all available commands
• 📊 Server Info: Monitor server status and workspace information
• 🌐 CORS Support: Enable cross-origin requests for web applications

Installation

1. Clone this repository
2. Install dependencies: yarn install
3. Compile the extension: yarn compile
4. Press F5 to run the extension in development mode

Usage

Starting the Server

The extension automatically starts an HTTP server when activated. You can also manually control it:

1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
2. Run one of these commands:
   • Start Command Server - Start the HTTP server
   • Stop Command Server - Stop the HTTP server
   • Show Server Status - Check if server is running

The server will start on port 3000 by default (or next available port).

API Endpoints

GET / - Server Status

Check if the server is running.

curl http://localhost:3000/

GET /info - Server Information

Get server details including port, PID, and workspace.

curl http://localhost:3000/info

GET /commands - List Available Commands

Get all available VSCode commands.

curl http://localhost:3000/commands

POST /execute - Execute Command

Execute a VSCode command with optional arguments.

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/execute \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command": "workbench.action.showCommands"}'

With arguments:

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/execute \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command": "workbench.action.openSettings", "args": ["editor"]}'

Client Examples

Python Client

from examples.http_client_new import VSCodeHTTPClient

client = VSCodeHTTPClient(port=3000)

# Check status
status = client.check_status()
print(status)

# Execute command
result = client.execute_command("workbench.action.showCommands")
print(result)

TypeScript Client

import { VSCodeHTTPClient } from './examples/http-client';

const client = new VSCodeHTTPClient(3000);

// Execute command
const result = await client.executeCommand("workbench.action.toggleTerminal");
console.log(result);

curl Examples

Run the provided script:

chmod +x examples/curl-examples.sh
./examples/curl-examples.sh 3000

Common Commands

Here are some useful VSCode commands you can execute:

• workbench.action.showCommands - Show command palette
• workbench.action.openSettings - Open settings
• workbench.action.terminal.toggleTerminal - Toggle terminal
• workbench.action.files.newUntitledFile - Create new file
• workbench.action.files.save - Save current file
• workbench.action.closeActiveEditor - Close current editor
• workbench.action.quickOpen - Quick open files

Response Format

All API responses follow this format:

{
  "success": true,
  "result": "Command result (if any)",
  "command": "executed.command.name",
  "error": "Error message (if failed)"
}

Development

Building

yarn compile        # Compile TypeScript
yarn watch          # Watch for changes
yarn package        # Build for production

Testing

yarn test           # Run tests
yarn lint           # Run linter

Security Notes

• The server only accepts connections from localhost (127.0.0.1)
• CORS is enabled for development convenience
• Consider security implications before exposing to external networks

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.