Extract the integrated terminal

[lloeki]

"Feature" request.

The integrated terminal grows in functionality, to the point that it could soon become very useful standalone, as its own app. I'm only a casual VScode user (using vim most of the time), but I would definitely be interested in a well-behaved, consistent, reactively-configurable, multi-platform terminal not tied to the editor.

Obviously if such a situation were to unfold, the shared component (not entirely dissimilar to VTE) should be jointly developed and shared with VScode. Both could be able to leverage a common configuration so that whether a terminal leveraging such a theoretical common component is spawned within VScode or standalone, they behave the same.

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Edit from @Tyriar:

There is some confusion about the scope of this issue, here is the clarification as the thread is long:

• This issue is tracking making the terminal "stand alone", ie. being able to launch code --term for example (see Extract the integrated terminal #34442 (comment) for details)
• Allow for floating windows #10121 tracks being able to pull the terminal view/panel out of the window
• Tabs for integrated terminal #10546 tracks adding tabs to the terminal, combined with Allow for floating windows #10121 this would ideally allow terminal tabs to be pulled into a separate window

[lloeki]

Hint, hint, call the thing VSterm?

[Tyriar]

This is an idea I've thrown around a bit, I doubt we'll get time to work on it any time soon. The first steps for this would be more flexible movement of the panel inside the workbench and pulling it into its own window.

[auchenberg]

You should check out https://hyper.is/, also Electron based and extensible.

[lloeki]

@auchenberg I definitely know about Hyper ;) yet Code's implementation is currently much more solid though, and given each one's track record in stability and performance I'd rather bet on Code. Also having the external terminal and Code's integrated one behave in exactly the same way is a non-negligible feature.

[auchenberg]

@lloeki Hyper is migrating to xterm.js build by @Tyriar, which means that Hyper most likely will be similar to the VS Code console. I can't speak on behalf of @Tyriar, but to me it sounds like most of the concerns are addressed by this migration. vercel/hyper#1275

[Tyriar]

Yes Hyper is planning on moving to xterm.js for v2. There will be some differences such as configuration and some things are handled differently (clear in Hyper may not work on Windows for example), overall it will be very close to VS Code though.

[warpdesign]

I can't speak for v2 but the last time I tried Hyper it was really slow & buggy, especially under Windows.

VSCode's terminal implementation worked so good that I don't use cmd.exe anymore.

I understand it's not the priority but if I was to try to extract VSCode's terminal and make it run without VSCode where should I start?

[Tyriar]

@warpdesign what I was thinking was to be able to launch the terminal by itself using code --term or something similar, this would involve:

• Create the "terminal window" which has access to the services used internally by the regular VS Code window (this part would be particularly tricky)
• Modifying the CLI to support this
• Figure out how keybindings and other user settings interact with this special window

Before starting any of this it would probably be wise to get buy in from the team though (and it's not a priority yet so I wouldn't do this yet).