PNPM Manager
VSCode Marketplace ·
Open VSX
One-click pnpm package management from VSCode. Reads your package.json, provides a quick-pick menu for install, add, remove, and script execution.
Features
- Install, Add, Remove — pnpm dependency management without leaving the editor
- Script Runner — executes any
package.json script with pnpm run
- Access Points — status bar button, command palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P), right-click context menu on package.json
- Custom Commands — define your own pnpm workflows via
pnpmconfig.json
- Auto-Start — run scripts automatically when a workspace opens
- Multi-Root Workspaces — asks which project to target when multiple
package.json files exist
- Monorepo Support — detects
pnpm-workspace.yaml and treats it as a valid project root
- Directory Traversal — when triggered from a nested file, walks up to find the nearest config
Usage
Status Bar
Click PNPM in the status bar to open the command menu.
Command Palette
Ctrl+Shift+P (macOS: Cmd+Shift+P), then type:
PNPM Manager: Open PNPM ManagerPNPM Manager: Install DependenciesPNPM Manager: Add PackagePNPM Manager: Remove Package
Right-click any package.json in Explorer → Open PNPM Manager.
Configuration
Place a pnpmconfig.json in your project root (next to package.json):
{
"autoStart": {
"enabled": true,
"scripts": ["dev", "dev && test"]
},
"customCommands": [
{
"name": "Full Build",
"command": "build && test && lint",
"description": "Run build, tests, and linter"
},
{
"name": "Dev Server",
"command": "dev",
"description": "Start dev server",
"autoStart": true
}
],
"settings": {
"showNotifications": true,
"autoInstallOnOpen": false
}
}
Fields
| Field |
Type |
Description |
autoStart.enabled |
boolean |
Enable/disable auto-start |
autoStart.scripts |
string[] |
Scripts to run on workspace open |
customCommands[].name |
string |
Label shown in the quick-pick menu |
customCommands[].command |
string |
pnpm command (supports && chains) |
customCommands[].description |
string |
Optional detail shown in menu |
customCommands[].autoStart |
boolean |
Whether this command runs on startup |
settings.showNotifications |
boolean |
Show info popups (default true) |
settings.autoInstallOnOpen |
boolean |
Run pnpm install on open (default false) |
When a pnpmconfig.json is detected, the status bar shows a gear icon.
AI Agent Support
Repository includes instructions for AI coding tools to generate valid pnpmconfig.json configurations automatically:
| Tool |
Mechanism |
| OpenCode |
skill("pnpm-manager") or /pnpm-manager |
| Claude |
reads CLAUDE.md from repo root |
| Cursor |
reads .cursor/rules/pnpm-manager.mdc |
Example prompt: "Generate a pnpmconfig.json that auto-starts dev and test on open."
Requirements
- VSCode
>=1.74.0
- pnpm installed and in
PATH
- A workspace with
package.json or pnpm-workspace.yaml
Installation
Marketplace: Install from the VSCode Marketplace or Open VSX.
Manual:
cd pnpm-manager
pnpm install
pnpm run compile
pnpm run package
pnpm run install:extension
Development
pnpm install # dependencies
pnpm run compile # build
pnpm run watch # build on change
Press F5 to launch the Extension Development Host. Use the test-project/ directory to verify functionality.
License
MIT
