VS Code extension command contribution

This skill helps you to contribute commands in VS Code extensions

When to use this skill

Use this skill when you need to:

Add or update commands to your VS Code extension

Instructions

VS Code commands must always define a title, independent of its category, visibility or location. We use a few patterns for each "kind" of command, with some characteristics, described below:

Regular commands: By default, all commands should be accessible in the Command Palette, must define a category, and don't need an icon, unless the command will be used in the Side Bar.
Side Bar commands: Its name follows a special pattern, starting with underscore (_) and suffixed with #sideBar, like _extensionId.someCommand#sideBar for instance. Must define an icon, and may or may not have some rule for enablement. Side Bar exclusive commands should not be visible in the Command Palette. Contributing it to the view/title or view/item/context, we must inform order/position that it will be displayed, and we can use terms "relative to other command/button" in order to you identify the correct group to be used. Also, it's a good practice to define the condition (when) for the new command is visible.

Files1

1 files · 1.0 KB

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Overall Score

48/100

Grade

C

Adequate

Safety

92

Quality

35

Clarity

55

Completeness

32

Summary

This skill provides guidance for contributing commands to VS Code extensions, covering naming conventions, visibility rules, localization attributes, and best practices. It teaches developers how to structure regular commands and Side Bar commands with appropriate metadata like title, category, icon, and enablement conditions.

Detected Capabilities

code analysisdocumentation referenceconfiguration guidance

Trigger Keywords

Phrases that MCP clients use to match this skill to user intent.

vs code commandcommand palettevscode extensionside bar commandextension contribution

Use Cases

Add commands to VS Code extension
Update command configuration in package.json
Create Side Bar command with proper naming
Configure command visibility and enablement rules
Follow VS Code extension development guidelines

Quality Notes

+: No risky operations or destructive patterns detected
+: Clear distinction between two command types (regular vs Side Bar)
+: Specific naming conventions documented with examples
-: Instructions are incomplete — skill cuts off mid-sentence after Side Bar section
-: No code examples or JSON configuration samples provided
-: Missing guidance on command implementation (handlers, activation events)
-: No error handling or validation patterns documented
-: Limited coverage of edge cases (command conflicts, enable/disable logic)
-: No reference to where commands should be defined (package.json location, structure)

Model: claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Analyzed: Jun 26, 2026

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vscode-ext-commands