vscode-ext-commands_skill

Overview

This skill explains how to contribute commands to Visual Studio Code extensions, covering naming, visibility, icons, categories, and conditional display. It lays out patterns for regular commands and Side Bar-specific commands and highlights attributes that affect user discovery and behavior. The guidance aligns with VS Code extension development best practices and localization needs.

How this skill works

The skill inspects command contribution patterns and recommends required manifest fields such as title and category. It explains the naming convention for Side Bar commands (leading underscore and #sideBar suffix), when to add icons, and how to control visibility with when conditions and contribution locations. It also describes how to specify ordering and group placement for view/title and view/item/context entries.

When to use it

• Adding new commands to a VS Code extension
• Modifying command visibility or discoverability
• Moving commands between Command Palette, editor context, and side bar
• Localizing command titles and categories
• Defining enablement or when conditions for UI commands

Best practices

• Always define a human-friendly title for every command regardless of location.
• Regular commands should include a category for Command Palette grouping.
• Use the Side Bar naming pattern: start with an underscore and append #sideBar (e.g., _extId.command#sideBar).
• Provide an icon for Side Bar commands and avoid showing them in the Command Palette when they are Side Bar exclusive.
• Specify when conditions to control visibility and define enablement rules where appropriate.
• Declare order/group for view/title or view/item/context contributions using relative positioning to place buttons logically.

Example use cases

• Add a global formatting command with a category so it appears clearly in the Command Palette.
• Create a Side Bar action with an icon and a when clause that only appears for specific view item types.
• Define a right-click context command (view/item/context) ordered relative to existing buttons to match UX expectations.
• Localize command titles and categories so the Command Palette and menus show translated labels.
• Add enablement rules so a command is active only when a workspace or file type matches the intended scenario.