Is there a way to run a command with VS Code tasks?

Question

In VS Code, I have an extension whose commands I can run by pressing F1 and searching by name. However I would like to automatically run it from a task (tasks.json). I know its full name from keyboard shortcuts.

Answer 1

You can run a valid command in tasks.json with the ${command:} syntax:

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "echo",
            "command": "${command:editor.action.addCommentLine}",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            }
        }
    ]
}

The above example comments out the current line

Compound Commands

If you would like to run commands sequentially/parallel, you can use the dependsOn property to run multiple commands:

Either a string representing another task or an array of other tasks that this task depends on.

For example, let's say there's a scenario where you want to duplicate the current line you are on down, comment it out above, and arbitrarily, for demonstration purposes, focus the terminal immediately:

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "create temporary duplicate line",
            "command": "${command:workbench.action.terminal.focus}",
            "dependsOn": [
                "duplicate line up",
                "comment line out"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            }
        },
        {
            "label": "comment line out",
            "command": "${command:editor.action.addCommentLine}"
        },
        {
            "label": "duplicate line up",
            "command": "${command:editor.action.copyLinesUpAction}"
        }
    ]
}

Let's say the line you duplicated was:

<div></div>

The task would run and make this:

<!-- <div></div> -->
<div></div>

And then focus on the integrated terminal

---

You can review their documentation on command variables and other placeholder syntax, like taking in user input for creating dynamic tasks, or using the runOn property to automatically run a task on folder startup