Restart Roblox Studio Simulator

A VS Code extension that enables hot-reload functionality for Roblox game development, allowing you to quickly test and restart your Roblox simulator without manual intervention.

Features

• Auto Reload on Save: Automatically triggers simulation restart when you save TypeScript, JavaScript, or Lua files
• Manual Trigger: Press F2 to trigger a "run or restart" command for your Roblox simulation
• File Type Filtering: Intelligently filters supported file types (.ts, .tsx, .js, .jsx, .lua, .luau)
• Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator Management: Start and stop the WebSocket server on demand via VS Code commands

Installation

VS Code Extension

The extension is available on the VS Code Marketplace. Install it like any other extension through the Extensions panel in VS Code.

Roblox Studio Plugin

You must also install the Restart Roblox Studio Simulator Bridge Plugin in Roblox Studio:

1. Open Roblox Studio
2. Go to Plugins → Manage Plugins
3. Search for "Restart Roblox Simulator Bridge Plugin" or use this direct link:
   • Install Plugin
4. Click Install

The plugin adds toolbar buttons to connect/disconnect from the VS Code extension and enables the restart functionality.

Usage

Manual Trigger

• Press F2 to send a "run or restart" message to all connected Roblox clients

Auto Reload

• Simply save a supported file (TypeScript, JavaScript, or Lua) to automatically trigger a restart

Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator Management

You can manage the WebSocket server using VS Code commands (accessible via Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P):

• Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator: Start - Start Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator
• Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator: Stop - Stop Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator
• A status bar indicator shows the current Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator state (Running/Stopped)

Restart Roblox Studio Simuluator starts automatically when the extension is activated.

Configuration

Disable Auto Reload

To disable automatic reloading when files are saved, add the following to your VS Code settings (.vscode/settings.json):

{
  "restartRobloxStudioSimulator.disableAutoReload": true
}

When enabled, automatic reloading on file save is disabled. You can still use the F2 keyboard shortcut to manually trigger a reload.

Development Setup

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Open the project in VS Code
4. Press F5 to run the extension with a new Extension Development Host window

Special Thanks

Special thanks to zephyras and oryaelia for contributions and feedback!

License

MIT License - Copyright (c) 2025 Jeremy Tenjo. See LICENSE file for details.