generate-run-commands

Works out how your project is normally started — install this, then run that — and puts those commands behind a Run button so nobody has to remember them.

WHEN TO USE

SCOPE

USE FOR

Add a Run-button command for a project's install or dev-server step by reading its config files.
Update one Run button's command without disturbing the others you've already set up.
Auto-run a setup command like npm install whenever a new worktree is created.

This is a saved copy of the skill's SKILL.md instructions. It may differ from the upstream file or the version you install.

In this document (4)

Generate Run Commands

Help the user set up run commands for the current Agent Session workspace. Run commands appear in the session's Run button in the title bar.

Understanding the task schema

A run command is a tasks.json task with:

"inAgents": true — required: makes the task appear in the Agents run button
"runOptions": { "runOn": "worktreeCreated" } — optional: auto-runs the task whenever a new worktree is created (use for setup/install commands)

{
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "Install dependencies",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "npm install",
      "inAgents": true,
      "runOptions": { "runOn": "worktreeCreated" }
    },
    {
      "label": "Start dev server",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "npm run dev",
      "inAgents": true
    }
  ]
}

Decision logic

First, read the existing .vscode/tasks.json to check for existing run commands (inAgents: true tasks).

If run commands already exist: treat this as a modify request — ask the user what they'd like to change (add, remove, or update a command).

If no run commands exist: try to infer the right commands from the workspace:

Check package.json, Makefile, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml, go.mod, .nvmrc, or other project files to understand the stack and common commands.
If it's clear what the setup command is (e.g., npm install, pip install -r requirements.txt), add it with "runOptions": { "runOn": "worktreeCreated" } — no need to ask.
If it's clear what the primary run/dev command is (e.g., npm run dev, cargo run), add it with just "inAgents": true.
Only ask the user if the commands are ambiguous (e.g., multiple equally valid options, no recognizable project structure, or the project uses a non-standard setup).

Writing the file

Always write to .vscode/tasks.json in the workspace root. If the file already exists, merge — do not overwrite unrelated tasks.

After writing, briefly confirm what was added and how to trigger it from the Run button.

Built into VS Code. Nothing to install there. The npx skills add command copies the same instructions into another agent, but they are written for VS Code and may call tools only VS Code has.

Run this outside your AI tool, using Node.js 22.20.0 or newer. Skills CLI 1.7.2 skips skill selection; prompts cancel installation without an interactive terminal. If choosing Project when asked about installation scope, open your project's folder before running this.

Install checklist

Check selected tools if a picker appears; Claude Code may be unchecked under Additional agents. ↑/↓ moves, Space toggles selections, Enter confirms.
Without a tool picker, check Installing to: for your intended tool. Stop if it names a different tool.
If asked, choose Symlink (Recommended) for shared files or Copy to all agents for separate copies; review the summary before confirming installation.
Install the find-skills skill? defaults to Yes, adding another skill for all projects. Choose No if you don't want that extra installation.

Skills CLI 1.7.2 sends install data to skills.sh by default, including the source, skill names, target tools and file details; GitHub sources are reported only when GitHub confirms the repository is public, while other remote sources can also be reported. Confirmed-public GitHub sources also trigger a security-audit request. Before installing, set the environment variable DO_NOT_TRACK=1 or DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 to disable both.

npx skills add microsoft/vscode --skill "generate-run-commands" --full-depth

After installing for Claude Code, open it in the installation project if you chose Project; Global makes the skill available across projects on this computer. Once Claude Code loads the skill, its description helps Claude decide when to use it.

If installation created a top-level skills folder that did not exist when your Claude Code session started, run /reload-skills in that session. Run it again after later changes in that folder.

View on GitHub

Generate Run Commands

Understanding the task schema

Decision logic

Writing the file

No requirements beyond installing this skill were found.

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