Scripts Runner
Run npm, yarn, and pnpm scripts straight from the VS Code sidebar — one click, no typing in the terminal.
Features
▶️ One-click run
Every script in your package.json shows up in a dedicated Scripts Runner view on the Activity Bar. Click a script to run it, or use the inline buttons that appear on hover. Each script's command is shown right next to its name.
🏃 Runs in the terminal
Scripts run in VS Code's integrated terminal, so you keep full logs and support for watch, dev servers, and interactive commands. The terminal tab is named after the script and is reused per script.
🔥 Usage heat colors
The more often you run a script, the warmer its name's color becomes — so your most-used commands stand out at a glance. Colors are relative to the most-run script in each folder and are saved per-workspace. Clear them anytime with Reset Run Frequency Colors from the view's … menu. The colors are themeable (scriptsSidebar.frequency1–5).
↕️ Reorder scripts
Drag a script (press and hold, then move) to reorder it within its folder — put the scripts you run most at the top. The order is saved per-workspace. Scripts with no custom order stay alphabetical.
⏹ Stop & running state
A running script shows a spinner and a stop button so you always know what's live. Clicking a running script focuses its terminal instead of starting it again — no more accidentally restarting your dev server.
🙈 Hide scripts you don't use
Hide noisy scripts from the sidebar to keep only the ones you run — hidden scripts are removed from the view entirely. To bring them back, right-click inside the package.json file and choose "Show Hidden Scripts…". Your choice is remembered per workspace, and newly added scripts always show up by default.
🔎 Status bar
- Status bar shows how many scripts are running — click it to stop one quickly.
🗂️ Stays tidy
- Fold the whole script list away — the collapsed state is remembered.
- Monorepo friendly: every
package.json gets its own collapsible node.
- Auto-detects npm / yarn / pnpm from your lockfile.
- Auto-refreshes when
package.json changes.
Usage
- Open a project that has a
package.json with a scripts section.
- Open the Scripts Runner view in the Activity Bar (left side).
- Click a script to run it in the terminal. On hover you get:
🙈 hide from sidebar⏹ stop (while running)
- To show hidden scripts again: right-click in
package.json → Show Hidden Scripts…
Extension Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
scriptsSidebar.packageManager |
auto |
auto / npm / yarn / pnpm. auto detects from the lockfile. |
scriptsSidebar.reuseTerminal |
true |
Reuse each script's terminal instead of creating a new one every run. |
scriptsSidebar.scanMode |
all |
Which package.json files to list: all, roots (hide workspace members declared in a parent's workspaces / pnpm-workspace.yaml), or workspaces (roots that declare workspaces + their members). |
scriptsSidebar.include |
[] |
Allowlist of globs matched against each package.json path relative to the workspace folder (e.g. apps/**). When non-empty, only matching packages are shown. |
scriptsSidebar.exclude |
[] |
Blocklist of globs (e.g. **/packages/** to hide monorepo libraries). |
Monorepo tip: if the sidebar shows too many sub-packages (e.g. @scope/*
libraries that only have a typecheck script), set scriptsSidebar.scanMode
to roots, or add an exclude glob like **/packages/**.
You can also remove individual groups with the ✕ button on a folder;
restore them later via Show Hidden Package Groups… in the view title.
Per-repo config (package.json)
Instead of per-machine settings, a repo can declare its own filtering in the
root package.json via a scriptsRunner field, so everyone who opens the
repo gets the same sidebar with no manual setup:
{
"name": "my-monorepo",
"scriptsRunner": {
"scanMode": "all", // optional: all | roots | workspaces
"exclude": ["**/packages/**"], // hide library sub-packages
"include": [] // optional allowlist
}
}
How it combines with user/workspace settings:
include / exclude are merged (union) with any scriptsSidebar.* settings.scanMode from settings wins only if you set it explicitly; otherwise the
repo's scanMode applies, else the default all.
Requirements
- VS Code
1.85.0 or newer.
- npm, yarn, or pnpm available on your
PATH (whichever your project uses).
Known Issues
- For scripts run in the terminal, the "running" indicator clears automatically when the command finishes only if VS Code Shell Integration is enabled. Without it, the indicator clears when you close the terminal or press stop.
Release Notes
See the Changelog (also available on the extension's Changelog tab in the Marketplace) for the full version history.
Enjoy! If you find this useful, a rating on the Marketplace is appreciated. 🙌
