VS Code Project Bootstrapper
Builds complete project scaffolds in VS Code from the requested project type.
The skill directs project creation, configuration writes, and dependency installation, but only assumes an empty folder and does not require explicit user confirmation for execution, network access, or dependency installation. It provides no data-flow disclosure, sensitive-data handling, rollback, or recovery procedure, so points are deducted for incomplete consent, scoping, and recovery controls.
The main commands and trigger boundaries are understandable, and the repository contains general CI evidence, but no tests cover this skill's key paths or failure handling. The MCP section depends on tools and external documentation not defined in the supplied material, and the two Python sections use inconsistent tool names; the static score is therefore conservative.
The intended new-complete-project scenarios and non-fit cases are relatively clear, covering VS Code extensions, Next.js, Vite, MCP, and Python projects. However, inputs, environment prerequisites, non-empty-directory behavior, Chinese-language interaction, and constrained-network adaptation are under-specified, limiting trigger precision and boundary confidence.
The skill is organized by project type and provides readable commands and parameter notes. The repository materials establish MIT licensing, Microsoft attribution, and a repository version, but the skill itself lacks explicit versioning, changelog, maintenance owner, update path, FAQ, dependency-installation guidance, and systematic known-limitations disclosure.
It offers directly usable initialization commands for common empty-directory projects and can plausibly complete the core setup task. However, some steps rely on unspecified tools, the MCP workflow requires external access, and there are no output-validation, conflict-resolution, or completion-verification criteria, leaving meaningful manual judgment and rework.
The skill supplies concrete commands and rules, while the repository includes general CI and test material. Those files do not cover this skill's key paths, and no third-party execution results or independent reproduction evidence are supplied, so only limited auditability is credited.
- Running npx, create-next-app, create-vite, or accessing MCP documentation introduces network and dependency-supply-chain risks; confirm the directory, commands, network access, and dependency sources first.
- The skill does not define backup, rollback, or non-empty-directory conflict handling, so existing project structure could be mixed with or affected by scaffolding.
- The MCP workflow references get_vscode_api, fetch_webpage, extension installation, and other capabilities not defined in the supplied skill material; the two Python workflows also name different tools.
- No execution tests, representative outputs, or failure-diagnosis evidence specific to this skill are provided.
What it does & when to use it
This skill is for initializing complete projects and scaffolds, not for creating individual files or changing existing code. It covers VS Code extensions, Next.js, Vite, MCP servers, Python scripts, and Python packages. Depending on the project type, it supplies or runs setup commands, tool calls, dependency configuration, project structure, and run instructions. The skill is one of 61 skills bundled in the microsoft/vscode repository, whose source code is licensed under the MIT license.
It identifies the requested project type and requires an empty folder, or a workspace created through the relevant tool first. VS Code extension projects use npx, Yeoman, and Generator-Code to run yo code . --skipOpen, with options for extension type, display name, ID, package manager, bundler, and other settings. Next.js and Vite projects use npx create-next-app@latest . and npx create-vite@latest .; MCP projects additionally require finding SDK and implementation guidance, updating .github/copilot-instructions.md, creating .vscode/mcp.json, and installing language-specific VS Code extensions. Python script and Python package projects are created through the VS Code command python-envs.createNewProjectFromTemplate, using the python-script and python-package templates respectively.
- A developer wants to create a complete TypeScript or JavaScript project from an empty VS Code workspace.
- An extension author wants to scaffold a VS Code extension with Yeoman and Generator-Code while selecting an extension type, package manager, or bundler.
- A frontend developer wants to create a Next.js application or a Vite project using a React, Vue, Svelte, or other listed template.
- A developer wants to initialize an MCP server for a selected language and configure it for running and debugging in VS Code.
- A Python user wants to create either a single-script project or a distributable Python package.
Pros & cons
- Supports several common project types, including VS Code extensions, Next.js, Vite, MCP, and Python projects.
- Treats project structure, dependency management, configuration files, initial code, and build or run instructions as part of complete setup.
- The VS Code extension command documents options for extension type, package manager, bundler, and Git initialization.
- The MCP workflow explicitly includes SDK references, `mcp.json` configuration, and language-specific extension installation.
- It is explicitly restricted to empty folders or newly created workspaces and is not intended for existing codebases.
- It is not intended for individual files, small snippets, single components, or debugging fixes.
- The MCP workflow depends on external web and SDK information and requires language-specific implementation choices.
- The supplied material provides no standalone installation procedure, version information, or test-suite details for the skill.
How to install
The supplied material does not document a standalone installation method for this skill or for the full skill collection. The documented source location is extensions/copilot/assets/prompts/skills/project-setup-info-local/SKILL.md in https://github.com/microsoft/vscode. The repository source is licensed under the MIT license, and no separate skill installation command is provided.
How to use
In an empty VS Code workspace, request complete project initialization, for example: “Create a TypeScript VS Code extension in the current empty workspace” or “Create a Vite project using React.” Use this skill only when the folder is empty or after a workspace-creation tool has been called; do not use it for individual files, components, edits to existing code, or debugging. For a VS Code extension, the instructions require calling get_vscode_api for relevant references before modifying the project. For an MCP project, the setup must use the SDK and implementation guidance appropriate to the requested language.