Getting Started

CommandTree is a free VS Code extension that scans your workspace and surfaces all runnable commands — shell scripts, npm scripts, Makefiles, and 15 other types — in a single tree view sidebar panel.

Installation

Install from the VS Code Marketplace:

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS)
  3. Search for CommandTree
  4. Click Install

Or from the command line:

code --install-extension nimblesite.commandtree

Building from Source

git clone https://github.com/melbournedeveloper/CommandTree.git
cd CommandTree
npm install
npm run package
code --install-extension commandtree-*.vsix

What Gets Discovered

Type Source
Shell Scripts .sh, .bash, .zsh files
NPM Scripts package.json scripts
Makefile Targets Makefile / makefile targets
VS Code Tasks .vscode/tasks.json
Launch Configs .vscode/launch.json
Python Scripts .py files
PowerShell Scripts .ps1 files
Gradle Tasks build.gradle / build.gradle.kts
Cargo Tasks Cargo.toml
Maven Goals pom.xml
Ant Targets build.xml
Just Recipes justfile
Taskfile Tasks Taskfile.yml
Deno Tasks deno.json / deno.jsonc
Rake Tasks Rakefile
Composer Scripts composer.json
Docker Compose docker-compose.yml
.NET Projects .csproj / .fsproj
Markdown Files .md files

Discovery respects exclude patterns in settings and runs in the background. If GitHub Copilot is installed, each discovered command is automatically described in plain language — hover over any command to see what it does. Learn more about how discovery works and AI summaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What command types does CommandTree discover?

CommandTree discovers 19 command types: shell scripts, npm scripts, Makefile targets, VS Code tasks, launch configurations, Python scripts, PowerShell scripts, Gradle tasks, Cargo tasks, Maven goals, Ant targets, Just recipes, Taskfile tasks, Deno tasks, Rake tasks, Composer scripts, Docker Compose services, .NET projects, and Markdown files.

Does CommandTree require GitHub Copilot?

No. GitHub Copilot is optional. Without it, CommandTree discovers and runs all commands normally. With Copilot installed, CommandTree adds plain-language summaries and security warnings to each command tooltip.

Does CommandTree work in monorepos?

Yes. CommandTree recursively scans all subdirectories and discovers commands from nested package.json files, Makefiles, and other sources throughout the workspace.

How do I run a discovered command?

Click the play button next to any command to run it in a new terminal. You can also run in the current terminal or launch with the VS Code debugger.