VS Code extension for Pyxel, a retro game engine for Python.
Run games, edit resources, and play apps directly in VS Code — no local Pyxel
installation required. Everything runs on the Pyxel Web runtime inside VS Code.
Features
Run games — Pyxel: Run command, the editor run button, or right-click a
.py file in the explorer
Auto-reload — the running game reloads when you save a project file
(including resource files saved in the Pyxel Editor)
Edit resources — open .pyxres files in the Pyxel Editor
Play apps — open .pyxapp files in the Pyxel Player
Create resources — Pyxel: New Resource
Copy examples — Pyxel: Copy Examples downloads the official examples
to a pyxel_examples folder
Browse docs — Pyxel: API Reference and Pyxel: Editor Manual open in
VS Code
Capture — Pyxel screenshots and screencasts are saved next to the game
Getting Started
Run Pyxel: Copy Examples from the command palette and pick a folder.
Open pyxel_examples/01_hello_pyxel.py.
Press the run button (or run Pyxel: Run) — the game opens in a panel.
Edit the code and save; the game reloads automatically.
Extension Settings
Setting
Default
Description
pyxel.autoReload
true
Reload the running game when a file in the project folder is saved.
Requirements and Limitations
The Pyxel Web runtime (pinned to Pyxel 2.9.8) is loaded from jsDelivr, so an
internet connection is required to launch games.
Project files are bundled into the runtime with these limits: 5 MB per file,
20 MB in total, 3 directory levels deep. Files skipped by these limits are
listed in the Pyxel output channel.
The extension is disabled in Restricted Mode because running a script
executes workspace code.
Development
npm install # install dependencies
npm run compile # build to dist/
npm run watch # rebuild on change
npm test # run unit tests (vitest)
npm run lint # run ESLint
npm run typecheck # type-check sources and tests
npm run package # build the .vsix
Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host.
