Create Visual Studio Code Task for Running Node.js Scripts

In this post, I will show you how to create a tasks.json file for Visual Studio Code for running Node.js scripts.

 

Requirements

I assume you have Node.js installed on your computer and it is in the PATH of your operating system.

I also assume you have Visual Studio Code installed on your computer.

 

Creating tasks.json File

First, create a tasks.json file in your .vscode/ directory in your Visual Studio Code project root.

Now copy and paste the following codes to the tasks.json file:

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Run with Node.js",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "node",
            "args": [
                "${fileBasename}"
            ],
            "problemMatcher": []
        }
    ]
}

 

Now let’s explain what I did in tasks.json file. tasks.json is a JSON file.

Here, label is what you see when you go to Tasks -> Run Task…

type should be shell because we are running node command in a shell and showing the output.

command is the command that should run when you click on Tasks -> Run Task… and select your task.

args is an array of arguments that should be passed to the command

${fileBasename} is a Visual Studio Code‘s tasks.json variable. That is replaced by the currently used file name.

 

Running Node.js Script Using Tasks

Now go to Tasks -> Run Task… and select your Task. Your currently opened Node.js script should run and you should see the output.

 

Thanks for reading this article.