Error Roaster
A fun Visual Studio Code extension for Windows that automatically plays a funny reaction video whenever a terminal command or VS Code task fails.
The video appears in a small floating desktop window (not a Webview), plays with original audio three times, then closes automatically.
Features
- Automatic terminal failure detection – uses VS Code shell integration. Triggers only on real non-zero exit codes.
- Automatic task failure detection – listens to
onDidEndTaskProcess.
- Manual test command –
Error Roaster: Test Reaction Video (always available, bypasses cooldown).
- Floating WPF window – always-on-top, draggable, Escape or × to close, black background.
- Configurable cooldown (default 30 seconds).
- Independent toggles for terminal and task triggers.
- Detailed Output Channel (
Error Roaster) for full diagnostics.
Requirements
- Windows 10 or Windows 11 only
- Visual Studio Code 1.93.0 or later
- No extra media players needed (uses built-in WPF MediaElement via PowerShell)
On non-Windows platforms the extension activates but shows a clear warning and refuses to play video.
Installation
From Marketplace (after publishing)
Search for Error Roaster in the Extensions view.
From VSIX
- Download the latest
.vsix from Releases or build it yourself.
- In VS Code:
Extensions: Install from VSIX…
Development
git clone https://github.com/Matinfly-slp/error-roaster.git
cd error-roaster
npm install
npm run compile
# Press F5 in VS Code
Usage
- Make sure shell integration is enabled in your terminal (default in modern VS Code).
- Run a failing command (e.g.
nonexistent-command).
- The reaction video appears in a floating window, plays three times, and closes.
- Manual test anytime:
Ctrl+Shift+P → **Error Roaster: Test Reaction Video`.
Settings
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
errorRoaster.cooldownSeconds |
number |
30 |
Seconds between automatic plays (0 = no cooldown) |
errorRoaster.playOnTerminalFailure |
boolean |
true |
React to terminal command failures |
errorRoaster.playOnTaskFailure |
boolean |
true |
React to VS Code task failures |
Diagnostics
Open View → Output and select Error Roaster from the dropdown.
It logs activation, detections, cooldown decisions, file paths, PowerShell output, and errors.
Project Structure
error-roaster/
├── src/
│ └── extension.ts # Main extension logic
├── media/
│ ├── roast.mp4 # Reaction video (replace with your own)
│ └── roast-player.ps1 # WPF floating player script
├── out/
│ └── extension.js # Compiled output
├── .vscode/
│ ├── launch.json
│ └── tasks.json
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
├── .gitignore
├── .vscodeignore
├── LICENSE
└── README.md
Building & Packaging
npm install
npm run compile
npx vsce package
This produces error-roaster-1.0.0.vsix.
Replacing the Video
Overwrite media/roast.mp4 with your own MP4 (H.264 + AAC recommended).
Keep the same filename or update the paths in the code.
How the Player Works
- Extension spawns
powershell.exe -STA -File roast-player.ps1 -VideoPath <absolute-path>
- Creates a borderless, top-most WPF window
- Plays the video with original audio, loops exactly 3 times, then closes
- User can close early with × or Escape
License
MIT
Made for fun. Enjoy the roasts. 🔥
