vscode-line-highlight

VS Code extension that highlights editor lines from plain JSON files in .vscode/highlights/, making highlights version-controllable and writable by scripts and AI assistants.

Features

• Five named colors: green, red, yellow, blue, purple
• File-based: highlights stored in .vscode/highlights/, not in VS Code state
• Line positions shift automatically during in-editor edits; written back on save
• External edits (outside VS Code) are not tracked, line numbers are trusted as-is
• Context menu submenu for per-color toggle and remove
• Command palette toggle with color picker
• Overview ruler marks; optional gutter bar
• All background colors configurable
• Multi-root workspace support

Usage

Right-click any line → "Line Highlight" → pick color. Same color again removes it.

Command palette: "Line Highlight: Toggle Highlight on Line" (color picker), "Line Highlight: Clear All Highlights".

Programmatic

Any tool can write the JSON file; the extension reloads via file watcher:

echo '[{"line": 42, "color": "red"}]' > .vscode/highlights/src__app.py.json

Filename uses __ as path separator (src/app.py → src__app.py.json).

[
  {"line": 12, "color": "red", "note": "optional hover tooltip"},
  {"line": "3-7", "color": "green"}
]

Add to CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md for AI assistant support:

Line highlights:
- Write `.vscode/highlights/<path__to__file.ext>.json`
- Format: `[{"line": 1, "color": "green", "note": "optional"}]`
- Colors: green, red, yellow, blue, purple
- Ranges: `"line": "3-7"`, `__` = path separator

Settings

Install

npm run package
code --install-extension line-highlight-0.0.3.vsix

License

MIT