VS Code + LoopCLI

Visual Studio Code is the most popular home for LoopCLI development. This guide walks through installing the extension, wiring tasks, and keeping secrets safe while you iterate on automation loops.

1. Install the LoopCLI extension

1. Open the Extensions view (⇧⌘X / Ctrl+Shift+X).
2. Search for “LoopCLI Automation”.
3. Click Install and reload the window when prompted.

The extension adds:

• YAML syntax highlighting for .loop.yml files.
• A side panel that lists loops in your workspace.
• Quick actions to run, deploy, or open LoopCLI docs without leaving VS Code.

2. Verify the CLI path

Run the command palette (⇧⌘P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and select LoopCLI: Locate Binary.
Point it to the path where loopcli lives (e.g., /usr/local/bin/loopcli on macOS/Linux or C:\Users\you\.loopcli\loopcli.exe on Windows).

This ensures the extension can invoke the CLI even if VS Code launches with a limited PATH.

3. Create run & watch tasks

Add the following to .vscode/tasks.json to get one-click runs from the terminal panel:

{
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "LoopCLI: Run Active Loop",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "loopcli loop run ${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
      "problemMatcher": []
    },
    {
      "label": "LoopCLI: Deploy Active Loop",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "loopcli loop deploy ${fileBasenameNoExtension} --activate",
      "problemMatcher": []
    }
  ]
}

Now you can run or deploy the current loop with ⇧⌘B (Ctrl+Shift+B) and choose the appropriate task.

4. Secrets & environment variables

• Use loopcli secret add from the integrated terminal to avoid storing credentials in .env files.
• If you rely on environment variables for local testing, create a .vscode/settings.json entry:

{
  "terminal.integrated.env.osx": {
    "LOOPCLI_ENV": "development"
  }
}

Replace osx with linux or windows as needed.

5. Integrate with Git & AI assistants

• Enable format-on-save for YAML (editor.formatOnSave) so loop files stay consistent.
• Pin the LoopCLI YAML schema in your AI assistant (Copilot / Codeium / ChatGPT) notes so suggestions stay valid.
• Use the LoopCLI extension’s Docs tab to jump straight into relevant recipes without leaving the editor.

6. Troubleshooting

Next steps

• Pair VS Code with the Cursor workflow builder for AI-assisted loops.
• Explore Starter Recipes for ready-to-run automations.
• Need a feature? Request it in Discord — the extension roadmap lives there.