rbxts-jest VS Code Extension

Run your roblox-ts Jest tests directly from the VS Code Testing sidebar. This extension watches your TypeScript spec files, discovers the describe/it tree, and executes the suite through your project-provided npm test script so results flow back into the editor.

Highlights

• Automatic discovery of *.spec.ts files and nested describe / it blocks.
• Testing sidebar integration with run, debug, and rerun actions powered by the VS Code Testing API.
• On-demand commands to refresh test metadata or execute the whole suite.
• Selective execution by forwarding VS Code's selection filter to Jest via JEST_TEST_NAME_PATTERN.
• Roblox Cloud ready: ships with a sample runner that forwards results from Roblox Cloud Luau execution.

Requirements

• VS Code 1.106.0 or newer.
• Node.js 18+ (needed for the extension host and the demo project scripts).
• A workspace with an npm test script that ultimately runs your Jest-Luau tests. The included demo uses rbxluau to run tests in the Roblox Cloud.

Tip: The extension looks for a package.json with a test script in the workspace root, in the configured rbxtsProjectPath, or one directory above the workspace. Make sure one of those locations exposes an appropriate runner.

Getting Started

1. Install the extension (from the Marketplace or by running npm install && npm run compile and using VS Code's Install from VSIX...).
2. Open a roblox-ts project that includes Jest specs (default glob: **/__tests__/**/*.spec.ts and **/*.spec.ts).
3. Ensure your npm test script builds any required assets and returns a zero exit code on success.
4. Open the Testing view (Ctrl+Shift+``) to see the discovered test tree.
5. Run or debug individual tests, suites, or the full workspace using the inline buttons or commands below.

Commands

• rbxts-jest: Refresh Tests (command id: vscode-rbxts-jest.refreshTests)
  • Rebuilds the test tree. Runs automatically on activation and when files change.
• rbxts-jest: Run All Tests (command id: vscode-rbxts-jest.runAllTests)
  • Invokes VS Code's testing.runAll for the rbxts-jest controller.

You can access these commands from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) or map them to custom keybindings.

Configuration

rbxts-jest contributes settings under Settings → Extensions → rbxts-jest:

How Test Execution Works

1. Discovery: TestParser scans each matching spec file to build a nested tree of describe and it nodes.
2. Run request: Starting a run collects all selected leaf nodes (individual tests) and their parents.
3. Filtering: If you triggered a subset of tests, the extension builds a JEST_TEST_NAME_PATTERN regex from their full names. Your npm test script can read this env var to filter execution.
4. Execution: npm test is executed from the first folder that exposes the script (workspace root, rbxtsProjectPath, or parent). The bundled demo compiles the project, republishes the place.rbxl, and calls Roblox Cloud Luau to execute src/runTests.ts.
5. Result parsing: Standard Jest glyphs (✓, ✕, ●, etc.) in stdout/stderr are mapped back to VS Code test results so passes, failures, and messages appear inline.

If the command cannot start, every pending test is marked as errored with the surfaced message to help diagnose missing tools or environment variables.

Using the Included Demo Project

The demo/ folder contains a roblox-ts sample with Jest tests plus a Roblox Cloud runner:

npm run build  # compiles TypeScript and rebuilds place.rbxl via rojo
npm test       # builds and invokes demo/runTests.js

demo/runTests.js deploys demo/place.rbxl to Roblox and then runs src/runTests.ts. This file requires @rbxts/jest and exposes any failures through stdout, which the extension parses. Adapt this structure for your own experience by editing demo/runTests.ts or pointing rbxts-jest.rbxtsProjectPath at your project.

Development

Interested in hacking on the extension itself?

npm install
npm run watch   # incremental build

• Launch the Extension Development Host from VS Code (F5) to test changes.
• Run npm test to execute the extension's integration tests via @vscode/test-electron.
• Before publishing, build with npm run compile and verify out/ contains the transpiled scripts.

Troubleshooting

• No tests appear: confirm your spec files match rbxts-jest.testMatch and contain describe/it. Use the refresh command after adjusting patterns.
• Runs fail immediately: ensure the extension can find a folder with an npm test script and that the script exits with code 0 on success.
• Roblox Cloud errors: double-check the environment variables and permissions. View the Testing output channel for the full log replayed by the extension.

License

MIT