Livt for Visual Studio Code

Edit, build, and test Livt hardware projects without leaving VS Code. Get language-aware editing, project and dependency management, vendor integrations, guided tool installation, and Livt Agent.

Highlights

• Completion, hover information, diagnostics, navigation, formatting, snippets, semantic highlighting, and configurable inlay hints for .lvt files.
• A Livt Project view for sources, tests, dependencies, and generated files.
• Build and test workflows with progress, cancellation, and source-linked failures.
• Package search and vendor-template management directly from your project.
• Guided installation and updates for Java, Livt, HxS, and optional GHDL.
• Livt Agent for questions, planning, reviewable file changes, and project operations.

Getting Started

1. Run Livt: Manage Livt Installation from the Command Palette.
2. Sign in when prompted and install the tools you need.
3. Open a folder containing livt.toml, or run Livt: Initialize Livt Project.
4. Add sources and tests with Livt: Create Component and Livt: Create Test.
5. Build from Livt Project and run tests from Livt Tests or VS Code's Testing view.

For guided setup, run Livt: Open Getting Started Walkthrough. The walkthrough is also available on the Welcome page.

Each project must have livt.toml at the root of its workspace folder. To use multiple projects—including nested projects—add each folder explicitly with File → Add Folder to Workspace.

Project Workflows

Right-click a project to Clean Project, Sync Dependencies, Build Project, Run Tests, or Format Project. Long-running operations show progress and can be cancelled. Test notifications show the current phase; use Show Livt Test Output in the Livt Tests toolbar to open the logs.

Dependencies

Right-click Dependencies → Add a Package…, search, and select a package to add and synchronize it. Searches support * for any characters and ? for one character—for example, Livt.* or *Ethernet*.

Missing dependencies are restored automatically in trusted workspaces. Change livt.dependencies.autoSync to prompt or off if you prefer more control. Synchronization that could change existing dependency versions asks for approval.

Vendor Integrations

Right-click Vendor → Add Vendor Template… and choose an integration. Expand a template to browse its generated files. Templates can be regenerated or removed independently.

Install the corresponding vendor tools separately and make them available on PATH, or configure their paths in your project.

Livt Agent

Open Livt Agent to ask questions, plan changes, edit files, and run project operations. General chat works without an open project; file and build operations require a Livt project.

Use Agent Context to control which project files the agent may access. Proposed file changes can be kept or discarded. Livt tools are also available to compatible VS Code chat agents.

Requirements and Settings

• VS Code 1.100.2 or newer.
• OpenJDK 17 or newer; the extension can install Java for you.
• The Livt CLI, installed through the extension, available on PATH, or configured with livt.path.
• GHDL for the default simulator, or a supported vendor simulator. If GHDL is missing, the extension offers installation or configuration of an existing copy.

Open Settings and search for Livt. Common settings include:

Troubleshooting

• Use Livt: Manage Livt Installation to install or update tools and synchronize licenses.
• If GHDL works in a terminal but not in VS Code, configure livt.ghdl.path or restart VS Code with the correct PATH. A simulator path in livt.toml takes precedence.
• For editor problems, run Livt: Restart Language Server or Livt: Reindex Workspace.
• For unresponsive compiler commands, run Livt: Restart Livt Compiler.
• Use Livt: Show Extension Diagnostics and the Livt output channels for details.

Documentation and Support

• Livt documentation
• Contact support
• See the Changelog tab for release notes.