pyxend 0.3.1
Python framework for building VS Code extensions
Requires Python: >=3.8

# pyxend
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</p>
pyxend is a Python-based framework and CLI tool for building Visual Studio Code extensions entirely in Python. It allows to define VS code extension commands using simple Python decorators and handle VS Code actions like modifying editor content, showing modals, and running terminal commands.

> ⚡️ No JavaScript required for extension logic — write VS Code extensions in pure Python.

![Preview](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codeFlane/pyxend/main/preview.gif)
> ⚠️ Note: Preview was recorded when the project was called pyvscode. Now project renamed to pyxend.
---

## ✨ Features

- 🧠 Simple Python API for defining commands
- ⚙️ CLI tool to scaffold, sync, build, and publish extensions
- 🧩 Template-based generation of `extension.js` and `package.json`
- 🔁 Context-aware Python execution with editor data (selected text, cursor, file)
- 📦 Easy packaging using `vsce`

---

## 📦 Installation

```bash
pip install pyxend
```
Or using git repository:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/codeflane/pyxend
cd pyxend
pip install -e .
```
Make sure Node.js and vsce are installed:
```
npm install -g vsce
```

## 🚀 Getting Started
### 1. Create a new extension
```bash
pyxend init "My Extension Name" myextension
```

### 2. Add logic in Python

Edit main.py:
```python
from pyxend import Extension, ModalType

ext = Extension()

@ext.command('hello')
def say_hello(ctx):
    ext.show_modal("Hello from Python!", type=ModalType.INFO)

ext.run()
```

### 3. Sync the metadata
```bash
pyxend sync
```

### 4. Build and install the extension
```bash
pyxend build
code --install-extension your-extension.vsix
```

## 📚 CLI Options
All CLI commands accept a `--target` (or `-t`) option to specify the working directory (defaults to current folder).

### Init
```bash
pyxend init "Display Name" extension_name
```
Init new project.

#### Arguments:
 - **Display Name:** extension display name (that showing in extension hub)
 - **Extension Name:** extension name (defaults to display name)

#### Creates:
 - `main.py` (logic)
 - `extension.js` (bridge)
 - `package.json` (extension metadata)
 - `.vscodeignore`

### Sync
```bash
pyxend sync
```
Sync Python decorators in main.py with `extension.js` and `package.json`

### Metadata
```bash
pyxend metadata -v 0.0.1 -e 1.70.0 -d desc -t title -n name -g git
```
Update package.json metadata

#### Options:
| Option               | Description                   |
|----------------------| ------------------------------|
| `--engine / -e`      | VS Code engine version        |
| `--description / -d` | Description of your extension |
| `--git / -g`         | GitHub repo URL               |
| `--name / -n`        | Display name                  |
| `--version / -v`     | Extension version             |

### License
```bash
pyxend license author
```
Create LICENSE file (now only MIT support).
License is required for creating extensions


## 🧩 Extension API
The core API is exposed via the `Extension` class.

### Command decorator

Decorator to register a command that can be invoked from VS Code.

#### Arguments:

* `name` - The command name (e.g., `"sayHello"`).
* `title` - Title to display in the Command Palette. Defaults to `name`

#### Context:

When the command is invoked, it receives a `context` dictionary with useful metadata:

```json
{
  "selected_text": "Hello", // Currently selected text
  "language": "python", // Opened file language
  "cursor_pos": {"line": 3, "character": 15}, // Current cursor position
  "file_path": "D:/projects/example.py", // Opened file path
  "all_text": "Hello World", // File content
  "cursor_word": "Hello", // the word under the cursor
  "lines": 3, // Lines count in file
  "file_size": 12, // File size in bytes
  "opened_files": ["D:/projects/example.py", "D:/test.txt"], // Currently opened files
  "is_saved": false, //Is file saved
  "workspace": "D:/projects" //Opened workspace folder
}
```

#### Example:

```python
@ext.command("sayHello", title="Say Hello")
def say_hello(context):
    ext.show_modal(f"Hi! You selected: {context['selected_text']}")
```
---

### Event decorator
Decorator to register an event that can be invoked from VS Code.

#### Arguments:

* `event` - Event type (`Event` enum).

#### Context:
Context same as `Command decorator`. See pyxend -> Extension API -> Command decorator -> Context

#### Example:

```python
@ext.command("sayHello", title="Say Hello")
def say_hello(context):
    ext.show_modal(f"Hi! You selected: {context['selected_text']}")
```
---

### Show modal
Show modal popup

#### Arguments:
 - message - The message to display.
 - type - Must be one of the ModalType values:
   - ModalType.INFO - modal with an blue informational (i) icon (default)
   - ModalType.WARNING - modal with an yellow warning /!\ icon
   - ModalType.ERROR - modal with an red error (x) icon

#### Example:
```python
ext.show_modal("This is an error", type=ModalType.ERROR) #Show error modal with text "This is an error"
```

---
### Replace selected text
Replace the currently selected text in the editor. (deprecated)

#### Arguments:
* `text` - The text that will replace the current selection.

#### Example:
```python
ext.replace_selected_text("Replaced content.") #Replace currently selected text to "Replace content."
```

---
### Insert text
Insert new text.

#### Arguments:
* `text` - The text to insert.
* `preset` - Position preset. Must be one of the InsertTextPreset values:
  * InsertTextPreset.START - Insert text at the start of file
  * InsertTextPreset.CURSOR - Insert text after cursor position
  * InsertTextPreset.CUSTOM - Insert text at custom position (use `line` and `character` to provide it) (default)
  * InsertTextPreset.END - Insert text at the end of file

* `line` - Line number to insert text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`
* `character` - Character number to insert text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`

#### Example:
```python
ext.insert_text("Inserted text.", preset=InsertTextPreset.CURSOR) #Insert text "Inserted text." after cursor position
```

---
### Replace text
Replace text.

#### Arguments:
* `text` - The text to replace.
* `preset` - Position preset. Must be one of the ReplaceTextPreset values:
  * ReplaceTextPreset.SELECTED - Replace selected text
  * ReplaceTextPreset.CUSTOM - Replace text at custom position (use `start_line`, `start_character`, `end_line` and `end_character` to provide it) (default)
  * ReplaceTextPreset.ALL - Replace whole file

* `start_line` - Start line number to replace text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`
* `start_character` - Start character number to replace text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`
* `end_line` - End line number to replace text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`
* `end_character` - End character number to replace text. Requires only when preset is `CUSTOM`

#### Example:
```python
ext.replace_text("Replaceed text.", preset=InsertTextPreset.ALL) #Replace all file text to "Replaced text."
```

---
### Open file
Open a file in the editor by its path.

#### Arguments:
* `path` - Full path to the file.

#### Example:
```python
ext.open_file("D:/projects/example.py") #open "D:/projects/example.py" in editor
```

---
### Set cursor position
Move the editor’s cursor to the specified position.

#### Arguments:
* `line` - Line number.
* `character` - Character number.

#### Example:
```python
ext.set_cursor_pos(5, 10) #move cursor to line 5, character 10
```

---
### Save file
Save the current file.

#### Example:
```python
ext.save_file() #save current file
```

---
### Replace all text
Replace the entire content of the file. (deprecated)

#### Arguments:
* `text` - The new content for the whole file.

#### Example:
```python
ext.replace_all_text("print('Hello, World!')\n") #replace all file text to "print('Hello, World!')"
```

---
### Run terminal command
Execute a command in a new or existing terminal.

#### Arguments:
* `command` - The terminal command to execute.
* `name` (optional) - Name of the terminal instance. Default is "pyxend terminal"

#### Example:
```python
ext.run_terminal_command("echo 'Hello World'") #create new terminal and echo "Hello World"
```

---
### Delete selected text
Delete currently selected text

#### Example
```python
ext.delete_selected_text() #delete selected text
```

---
### Delete file
Delete currently opened file (Do not recommend to use)

#### Example
```python
ext.delete_file() #delete file
```

---
### Status message
Show status message in a bottom of screen.

#### Arguments:
* `message` - The message to show.
* `timeout` (optional) - How long message will show in ms. Defaults to 3000ms (3s)

#### Example:
```python
ext.status_message("Hello from pyxend", 1000) #show status message "Hello from pyxend" for 1 second
```

---
## ⚠️ Important Notes about Command Execution

* All actions (`ext.show_modal`, `ext.insert_text`, etc.) are collected into a list during Python execution and **returned as a single JSON batch** to VS Code.
* This means **VS Code does not execute Python actions one-by-one**. It only runs Python once, receives all the actions at once, and **then executes them sequentially in JavaScript**.
* Any delay (`time.sleep`) or conditional logic in Python will **happen before any action is performed** in the editor.

### Example:

```python
ext.show_modal("First")
time.sleep(1)
ext.show_modal("Second")
```

This will result in **both modals appearing immediately**, one after the other — not with a delay between them.

---

### 🚧 Future Plans

We are planning to add **streaming or asynchronous action execution** in a future version (`v1.0` or `v2.0`) so that:

actions like `ext.show_modal()` can be executed live, one at a time, and delays or dynamic logic will reflect in real-time in the editor.

We already have some ideas on how to implement this — stay tuned!

## 🧠 How it Works

`pyxend` bridges VS Code and Python.
When a command is executed:

1. **VS Code (JavaScript)**

   * Collects the file context (selected text, full code, cursor, file path, etc.)
   * Launches the Python script (`main.py`) and passes the command name and context as JSON.

2. **Python (pyxend)**

   * Receives the command and context.
   * Executes the matching `@ext.command(...)` function.
   * Generates actions list from executed commands.
   * Return actions list to the JS.

3. **VS Code (JavaScript)**

   * Parses the returned actions.
   * Executes them one by one using the VS Code API (editing text, opening files, setting cursor position, etc.)

This allows Python to control editor behavior dynamically.

## 🔧 How to Integrate a New Custom Action

To add a new custom action that isn’t supported yet:

### 1. Define it in Python

Append an action manually:

```python
ext.actions.append({
    "action": "highlight_range",
    "line_start": 5,
    "line_end": 8
})
```

### 2. Extend the `extension.js`

Open `extension.js` and add a new case to handle it:

```js
case "highlight_range":
  if (!editor) return;
  const start = new vscode.Position(action.line_start, 0);
  const end = new vscode.Position(action.line_end, 0);
  const decorationType = vscode.window.createTextEditorDecorationType({
    backgroundColor: "rgba(255,255,0,0.2)"
  });
  editor.setDecorations(decorationType, [new vscode.Range(start, end)]);
  break;
```

This allows `pyxend` to be fully extensible.
> Note: after syncing (`pyxend sync`), all JS will overwrite. It will be fixed in future versions.

## 📄 Changelog
See full change log in [CHANGELOG.md](./CHANGELOG.md)

### 0.3.1 (Latest)
Added 1 new action

### 0.3.0
Added events and 2 new actions

### 0.2.0
Added 2 new actions and reworked replace/insert text methods

### 0.1.2
Added 3 new values in context, renamed `manifest` → `metadata`

### 0.1.1
Fixed packaging bug, improved error modals, typo fixes

## ⭐ Contributing
Thank you for checking out pyxend!
If you find it useful, please consider:

 - ⭐ Starring the GitHub repository — it really helps the project grow.
 - 🛠 Opening an issue or PR with your suggestions or improvements.
 - 📢 Sharing the project with fellow Python developers who want to build VS Code extensions without touching JavaScript.

> Let’s make Python-powered VS Code extensions mainstream!