The Pain We All Know Too Well
Picture this: You're working on a Bash script, tweaking commands, testing snippets. You highlight a few lines, copy them, switch to your terminal, paste, hit enter. Rinse and repeat. Dozens of times per day.
Sound familiar?
If you're a developer who lives between your code editor and terminal, you've probably lost countless minutes (or hours) to this tedious workflow. But what if I told you there's a dead-simple VSCode extension that eliminates this friction entirely?
Meet "Run Script in Terminal" (SeeYouInShell)
Run Script in Terminal is a lightweight VSCode extension that does exactly what its name suggests - it sends your code directly from the editor to your terminal with zero friction.
And yes, it's that simple.
Why This Extension is a Game-Changer
🎯 Two Powerful Features
1. Run Selection
Select any piece of code in your editor and execute it instantly in the terminal. Perfect for:
- Testing individual commands
- Debugging specific functions
- Running code snippets from documentation
2. Run Active File
Execute the entire contents of your current file with a single command. Ideal for:
- Running complete scripts
- Testing entire configurations
- Quick iterations during development
🧠 Smart Terminal Management
Here's where it gets clever: the extension intelligently reuses your currently active terminal. No terminal open? It creates one for you. This keeps your workspace clean and prevents the nightmare of having 15+ terminal tabs cluttering your screen.
How to Use It
Method 1: Command Palette
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+P(Windows/Linux) orCmd+Shift+P(Mac) - Type "RunInTerminal"
- Choose:
-
RunInTerminal: Selected selection- for highlighted code -
RunInTerminal: Active file- for entire file
-
Method 2: Context Menu
Right-click anywhere in your editor and select the command you need. Even faster!
Real-World Use Cases
For DevOps Engineers
Testing Kubernetes manifests, Docker commands, or infrastructure scripts becomes instant. No more copy-paste between files and terminals.
For Backend Developers
Run database migrations, test API endpoints, or execute utility scripts without leaving your editor context.
For Data Scientists
Execute Python data processing scripts, run statistical analyses, or test machine learning pipelines seamlessly.
For Shell Script Writers
This is the extension you've been waiting for. Test Bash, Zsh, or any shell commands as you write them.
Why I Love This Extension
- Zero Learning Curve: Install it, use it. That's it.
- Language Agnostic: Works with Bash, Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust - anything executable.
- Lightweight: No bloat, no configuration hell. Just pure functionality.
- Active Development: Recently updated (November 2025), showing continued support.
- Free & Open Source: MIT licensed and available on GitHub.
The Productivity Impact
Let's do some quick math:
- Average time per copy-paste cycle: 5 seconds
- Times you do this per day: 50
- Time saved per day: 4+ minutes
- Time saved per year: 16+ hours
That's two full workdays spent just copying and pasting. This extension gives that time back to you.
Installation
- Open VSCode
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+XorCmd+Shift+X) - Search for "Run Script in Terminal" or "SeeYouInShell"
- Click Install
- Start being more productive immediately
Or install directly from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes the best tools are the simplest ones. "Run Script in Terminal" doesn't try to be everything - it just solves one problem exceptionally well.
If you spend any time running scripts or commands from VSCode, this extension will become indispensable within your first hour of use.
Give it a try. Your future self (and your wrists) will thank you.
Have you tried this extension? What's your go-to productivity hack for terminal workflows? Drop a comment below! 👇
Top comments (0)