VS Code Extensions
Task Runner Extended

Task Runner Extended

by ardimedia

Unified task runner for Visual Studio that discovers tasks from multiple sources, groups them, and supports parallel or sequential execution.

Downloads

90

Rating

— (0)

Version

0.4.0.0

Last updated

Apr 07, 2026

Discovers tasks from multiple sources, displays them in a unified tree view, and allows grouping and parallel execution -- directly in Visual Studio.

Bridges the gap between VS Code (tasks.json with compound tasks) and Visual Studio (no equivalent).

The Problem

Visual Studio offers no way to start multiple background processes (e.g., npm run watchcss + dotnet watch + docker compose up) in a coordinated manner. Developers must manually open terminals, remember which processes need to run, and manage tasks from different tools in different locations.

Features

  • Task Discovery -- discovers tasks from .vscode/tasks.json, tasks.vs.json, package.json, .csproj (MSBuild targets), launchSettings.json, and compose.yml
  • Unified Tree View -- all tasks from all sources in a single sidebar tool window
  • Run Groups -- bundle tasks into groups and start them with one click
  • Parallel + Sequential -- start tasks in parallel or in sequence with dependency ordering
  • Compound Tasks -- VS Code-style dependsOn with dependsOrder support
  • Background Task Management -- see which processes are running, stop them individually or as a group
  • Details Pane -- click any task to see command, working directory, type, and status
  • Toolbar Tabs -- switch between Tasks, Background (extension info), and Feedback (GitHub issue form)
  • Problem Matcher -- detects errors and warnings in task output
  • .NET Framework Support -- both SDK-style and non-SDK-style .csproj projects
  • Package Manager Detection -- auto-detects npm, pnpm, or yarn via lock files
  • File Watching -- automatically refreshes when task source files change
  • Process Tree Kill -- Windows Job Objects ensure all child processes are terminated

Task Sources

Source What it discovers
.vscode/tasks.json VS Code task definitions (labels, commands, compound tasks)
.vs/tasks.vs.json VS native tasks for Open Folder mode
package.json npm/pnpm/yarn scripts
.csproj Custom MSBuild targets with <Exec> commands
launchSettings.json .NET launch profiles
compose.yml Docker Compose services

Usage

  1. Open a solution or folder in Visual Studio
  2. Open the tool window: Tools > Task Runner Extended
  3. The tree shows all discovered tasks grouped by source file
  4. Right-click a task for options: Start, Stop, Add to Group
  5. Create Run Groups via "Add to Group..." context menu

Run Groups

Run Groups bundle multiple tasks that should be started together. Groups are organized under two file nodes:

  • Shared (commited) -- task-runner-extended-am.json, shared with the team via git
  • Local (not commited) -- task-runner-extended-am.local.json, personal per-user settings

To create a group:

  • Right-click a task > Add to Group...
  • Choose Shared or Local as the target file
  • Enter a group name (default: "Development")
  • Right-click the group > Start to start all tasks

Add *.local.json to your .gitignore to prevent local settings from being committed.

Requirements

  • Visual Studio 2022 (17.9+) or Visual Studio 2026
  • .NET 10 runtime