Daml Syntax Extension

A self-contained VS Code extension for Daml syntax highlighting and basic language features.

Features

• Syntax Highlighting: Full syntax highlighting for Daml files including:

  • Keywords (template, choice, controller, signatory, observer, etc.)
  • Control flow (do, if, then, else, case, of, etc.)
  • Comments (line and block)
  • Strings and numbers
  • Types and functions
  • Operators

• Language Configuration:

  • Auto-closing brackets, quotes, and backticks
  • Comment toggling (Ctrl+/)
  • Code folding based on indentation

• Code Snippets: Quick snippets for common Daml constructs:

  • template - Template definition
  • choice - Choice definition
  • controller - Controller with choice
  • script - Daml script
  • data - Data type declaration
  • import - Import statement
  • module - Module declaration
  • And many more...

Installation

Option 1: Install from VSIX (Recommended)

1. Build the extension (see below)
2. Open VS-Code
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) to open the Commands view
4. Search "Install from VSIX..."
5. Navigate to: ~/daml-syntax-extension/daml-syntax-1.0.0.vsix
6. Click "Open" or "Install"
7. Restart VS-Code if prompted

Option 2: Install from Source

1. Copy this directory to your VS Code extensions folder:

   • Linux: ~/.vscode/extensions/
   • macOS: ~/.vscode/extensions/
   • Windows: `%USERPROFILE%.vscode\extensions``

2. Restart VS Code

Building

To package this extension as a VSIX file:

# Install vsce if you haven't already
npm install -g @vscode/vsce

# Package the extension
vsce package

This will create a daml-syntax-1.0.0.vsix file that can be installed in any VS Code instance.

Usage

Once installed, the extension will automatically activate when you open any .daml file.

• Syntax Highlighting: Automatically applied to all .daml files
• Snippets: Start typing a snippet prefix (e.g., template) and press Tab to expand
• Auto-closing: Brackets and quotes will automatically close
• Comment Toggle: Use Ctrl+/ (Cmd+/ on Mac) to toggle line comments

Notes

This is a lightweight extension focused on syntax highlighting and basic editor features. It does not include:

• Language server integration (go-to-definition, type checking, etc.)
• Daml compiler integration
• Scenario execution

For full IDE features, use the official Daml Studio with the complete Daml SDK.

License

Apache-2.0 (same as the Daml SDK)