Task Runner Extended

A Visual Studio 2022/2026 extension that discovers tasks from multiple sources, displays them in a unified tree view, and allows grouping and parallel execution -- directly in Visual Studio.

Bridges the gap between VS Code (tasks.json with compound tasks) and Visual Studio (no equivalent).

The Problem

Visual Studio offers no way to start multiple background processes (e.g., npm run watchcss + dotnet watch + docker compose up) in a coordinated manner. Developers must manually open terminals, remember which processes need to run, and manage tasks from different tools in different locations.

This extension solves that with a unified task view and one-click run groups.

Features

• Task Discovery -- discovers tasks from .vscode/tasks.json, tasks.vs.json, package.json, .csproj (MSBuild targets + auto-generated dotnet: watch/test), launchSettings.json, and compose.yml
• Unified Tree View -- all tasks from all sources in a single sidebar tool window (docked next to Solution Explorer)
• Run Groups -- bundle tasks into groups (e.g., "Development" = docker db + css watcher + dotnet watch) and start them with one click
• Parallel + Sequential -- start tasks in parallel or in sequence with dependency ordering
• Compound Tasks -- VS Code-style dependsOn with dependsOrder support
• Background Task Management -- see which processes are running (icon changes), stop them individually or as a group
• Problem Matcher -- detects errors and warnings in task output (MSBuild, TypeScript, npm patterns)
• .NET Framework Support -- both SDK-style and non-SDK-style .csproj projects
• Package Manager Detection -- auto-detects npm, pnpm, or yarn via lock files (priority: pnpm > yarn > npm)
• File Watching -- automatically refreshes when task source files change (500ms debounce)
• VS KnownMoniker Icons -- native VS icons that adapt to all themes (Light, Dark, Blue, High Contrast)
• Solution Monitor -- automatically scans when a solution is opened or changed
• Toolbar -- Refresh, Stop All, Collapse All + tab toggles (Tasks, Background, Feedback) with active indicator
• Details Pane -- click any task to see command, working directory, type, and status
• Feedback Tab -- report bugs or request features directly from the tool window (opens GitHub issue)
• Context Menu -- context-sensitive: Start/Stop on tasks, source files, and groups; Add to Group on tasks; Add Group on file nodes; Rename/Delete on groups; Remove from Group on entries
• VS User Prompts -- input prompts for group names, confirmation for delete
• Output Window Pane -- dedicated output pane per task with real-time streaming
• Process Tree Kill -- Windows Job Objects ensure all child processes are terminated
• ANSI Strip -- removes color codes from output, sets NO_COLOR environment variable

Task Sources

Source	What it discovers
.vscode/tasks.json	VS Code task definitions (labels, commands, compound tasks)
.vs/tasks.vs.json	VS native tasks for Open Folder mode
package.json	npm/pnpm/yarn scripts (with background task heuristics)
.csproj	Custom MSBuild targets with <Exec> commands (SDK + .NET Framework)
launchSettings.json	.NET launch profiles (Project, Executable, Docker)
compose.yml	Docker Compose services (individual + all services)

Installation

From VSIX File

1. Download the .vsix file from Releases
2. Double-click the file to install, or use Extensions > Manage Extensions > Install from File

Usage

1. Open a solution or folder in Visual Studio
2. Open the tool window: Tools > Task Runner Extended
3. The tree shows all discovered tasks grouped by source file
4. Right-click a task for options: Start, Stop, Add to Group
5. Create Run Groups via "Add to Group..." on any task
6. Right-click a group to: Start All, Stop All, Rename, Delete
7. Use the toolbar buttons: tab toggles (Tasks, Background, Feedback), Refresh, Stop All, Collapse All
8. Click a task to see its details (command, directory, type) in the bottom pane

Run Groups

Run Groups bundle multiple tasks that should be started together. Groups are organized under two file nodes:

• Shared (commited) -- task-runner-extended-am.json, shared with the team via git
• Local (not commited) -- task-runner-extended-am.local.json, personal per-user settings

To create a group:

1. Right-click a task > Add to Group...
2. Choose Shared or Local as the target file
3. Enter a group name (default: "Development") or use an existing one
4. The group appears under the chosen file node in Run Groups
5. Right-click the group > Start to start all tasks in the group

Important: Add *.local.json to your .gitignore to prevent local group settings from being committed.

Technical Details

• Extension Framework: VisualStudio.Extensibility SDK 17.14 (Out-of-Process)
• UI: Remote UI (XAML + MVVM) with custom TreeView ControlTemplate
• Process Management: Windows Job Objects with graceful shutdown (Ctrl+C, then force kill after 5s)
• Shared Library: Ardimedia.VsExtensions.Common for theming, solution monitoring, and output logging

Requirements

• Visual Studio 2022 (17.9+) or Visual Studio 2026
• .NET 10 runtime

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

License

MIT