Agent Skills: VS Code Extension Guide

Guide for creating VS Code extensions from scratch to Marketplace publication. Use when: (1) Creating a new VS Code extension, (2) Adding commands, keybindings, or settings to an extension, (3) Publishing to VS Code Marketplace, (4) Troubleshooting extension activation or packaging issues, (5) Building TreeView or Webview UI, (6) Setting up extension tests.

UncategorizedID: aktsmm/agent-skills/vscode-extension-guide

Install this agent skill to your local

pnpm dlx add-skill https://github.com/aktsmm/Agent-Skills/tree/HEAD/vscode-extension-guide

Skill Files

Browse the full folder contents for vscode-extension-guide.

Download Skill

Loading file tree…

vscode-extension-guide/SKILL.md

Skill Metadata

Name
vscode-extension-guide
Description
"Guide for creating VS Code extensions from scratch to Marketplace publication. Use when: (1) Creating a new VS Code extension, (2) Adding commands, keybindings, or settings to an extension, (3) Publishing to VS Code Marketplace, (4) Troubleshooting extension activation or packaging issues, (5) Building TreeView or Webview UI, (6) Setting up extension tests."

VS Code Extension Guide

Create, develop, and publish VS Code extensions.

When to Use

  • VS Code extension, extension development, vscode plugin
  • Creating a new VS Code extension from scratch
  • Adding commands, keybindings, or settings to an extension
  • Publishing to VS Code Marketplace

Quick Start

# Scaffold new extension (recommended)
npm install -g yo generator-code
yo code

# Or minimal manual setup
mkdir my-extension && cd my-extension
npm init -y && npm install -D typescript @types/vscode

Project Structure

my-extension/
├── package.json          # Extension manifest (CRITICAL)
├── src/extension.ts      # Entry point
├── out/                  # Compiled JS (gitignore)
├── images/icon.png       # 128x128 PNG for Marketplace
└── .vscodeignore         # Exclude files from VSIX

Building & Packaging

npm run compile      # Build once
npm run watch        # Watch mode (F5 to launch debug)
npx @vscode/vsce package   # Creates .vsix

Done Criteria

  • [ ] Extension activates without errors
  • [ ] All commands registered and working
  • [ ] Package size < 5MB (use .vscodeignore)
  • [ ] README.md includes Marketplace/GitHub links

Quick Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Fix | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Extension not loading | Add activationEvents to package.json | | Command not found | Match command ID in package.json/code | | Shortcut not working | Remove when clause, check conflicts |

| Topic | Reference | | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | | AI Customization | references/ai-customization.md | | Code Review Prompts | references/code-review-prompts.md | | Code Samples | references/code-samples.md | | TreeView | references/treeview.md | | Webview | references/webview.md | | Testing | references/testing.md | | Publishing | references/publishing.md | | Troubleshooting | references/troubleshooting.md |

Best Practices

命名の一貫性

公開前にパッケージ名・設定キー・コマンド名を統一:

| 項目 | 例 | |------|-----| | パッケージ名 | copilot-scheduler | | 設定キー | copilotScheduler.enabled | | コマンドID | copilotScheduler.createTask | | ビューID | copilotSchedulerTasks |

通知の一元管理

type NotificationMode = "sound" | "silentToast" | "silentStatus";

function getNotificationMode(): NotificationMode {
  const config = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("myExtension");
  return config.get<NotificationMode>("notificationMode", "sound");
}

function notifyInfo(message: string, timeoutMs = 4000): void {
  const mode = getNotificationMode();
  switch (mode) {
    case "silentStatus":
      vscode.window.setStatusBarMessage(message, timeoutMs);
      break;
    case "silentToast":
      void vscode.window.withProgress(
        { location: vscode.ProgressLocation.Notification, title: message },
        async () => {},
      );
      break;
    default:
      void vscode.window.showInformationMessage(message);
  }
}

function notifyError(message: string, timeoutMs = 6000): void {
  const mode = getNotificationMode();
  if (mode === "silentStatus") {
    vscode.window.setStatusBarMessage(`⚠ ${message}`, timeoutMs);
    console.error(message);
    return;
  }
  void vscode.window.showErrorMessage(message);
}

設定で notificationMode を選べるようにすることで、ユーザーが通知音を制御可能。