VSCodium Code Snippets¶

Code snippets are re-usable text pattern or source code that aids in avoiding repetitive typing and recreating the text that has already been done in the past. Typically snippets are used in programming or specifically formatted text.

Snippet Properties¶

Each code snippet is defined with the following properties.

name (required)

Snippet name that is displayed at the time of code completion if no description is defined.

scope (optional)

Defines the context in which the code snippet is available by using one or more language identifiers. This helps code completion list only relevant suggestions. If scope property is omitted, then the snippet will be available in all languages.

prefix (required)

One or more trigger words that will cause the snippet to be listed as an option at the time of code completion.

body (required)

One or more lines of content that will be added to the desired location from which it was called. Newlines, tabs, etc. will be formatted based upon the context in which the snippet is inserted.

description (optional)

A descriptive text of the code snippet that will be displayed at the time of code completion.

isFileTemplate (optional)

To control wether the code snippet can be used to populate or replace a file's contents when running "Snippets: Populate File from Snippet" via the Command Palette for a new or existing file. The property has a value of either true or false.

Snippet Scope¶

Code completion only lists relevant snippets based upon the scope defined by language(s) or project(s) and can be accessed by using the Command Palette via "Snippets: Configure User Snippets".

Single-language

User-defined snippets are stored in a dedicated language's snippet file (e.g. javascript.json, yaml.json).

Multi-language and Global

User-defined snippets are stored and defined as a "global" snippet file that have the file extension of ".code-snippets" (e.g. jekyll-code-block.code-snippets). A snippet can define one or more language identifiers using the scope property, and therefore it is only accessible when using the defined languages. When there is no scope property defined, then it is considered a global snippet to be available in all languages.

Project

Each project can have it's own snippets either globally or language specific.

Snippet Constructs¶

To control the cursor and text being inserted special constructs list below, can be used within the body property of a code snippet.

Tabstops

Each tabstop represents where the editor is to place the cursor each time the tab key is pressed. Each tabestop is prefixed with a dollar sign followed by a number (e.g. $1, $2). The number represents the order the cursor moves. The last cursor position is defined by $0. Using multiple tabstops with the same order number will be linked and updated in sync.

Placeholders

Provides a tabstop with a placeholder value (e.g. ${5:array}). The placeholder text will be inserted and selected to allow for quick replacement. Placeholders are allowed to be nested, ${1:another ${2:placeholder}}.

Choice

A tabstop with a list of predefined choices of values. Once such a snippet is inserted choices will prompt the user to make a select out of a list. Syntax is prefixed with a | (pipe character), then a comman delimited values followed by the suffix of a | (pipe character) (e.g. ${1|liquid,php,rust|}).

Variables

A way to insert a value (e.g. $name, ${name:default). When a variable isn't set, it will use the default or an empty string is inserted. If the variable is unknown (undefined) the name of the variable is inserted and is transformed into a placeholder.

Here is a list of variables that can be used to insert values:

• TM_SELECTED_TEXT The currently selected text or the empty string
• TM_CURRENT_LINE The contents of the current line
• TM_CURRENT_WORD The contents of the word under cursor or the empty string
• TM_LINE_INDEX The zero-index based line number
• TM_LINE_NUMBER The one-index based line number
• TM_FILENAME The filename of the current document
• TM_FILENAME_BASE The filename of the current document without its extensions
• TM_DIRECTORY The directory of the current document
• TM_FILEPATH The full file path of the current document
• RELATIVE_FILEPATH The relative (to the opened workspace or folder) file path of the current document
• CLIPBOARD The contents of your clipboard
• WORKSPACE_NAME The name of the opened workspace or folder
• WORKSPACE_FOLDER The path of the opened workspace or folder
• CURSOR_INDEX The zero-index based cursor number
• CURSOR_NUMBER The one-index based cursor number

Date and time:

• CURRENT_YEAR The current year
• CURRENT_YEAR_SHORT The current year's last two digits
• CURRENT_MONTH The month as two digits (example '02')
• CURRENT_MONTH_NAME The full name of the month (example 'July')
• CURRENT_MONTH_NAME_SHORT The short name of the month (example 'Jul')
• CURRENT_DATE The day of the month as two digits (example '08')
• CURRENT_DAY_NAME The name of day (example 'Monday')
• CURRENT_DAY_NAME_SHORT The short name of the day (example 'Mon')
• CURRENT_HOUR The current hour in 24-hour clock format
• CURRENT_MINUTE The current minute as two digits
• CURRENT_SECOND The current second as two digits
• CURRENT_SECONDS_UNIX The number of seconds since the Unix epoch

Random values:

• RANDOM 6 random Base-10 digits
• RANDOM_HEX 6 random Base-16 digits
• UUID A Version 4 UUID

Line or block comments using the current language:

• BLOCK_COMMENT_START Example output: in PHP /* or in HTML <!--
• BLOCK_COMMENT_END Example output: in PHP */ or in HTML →
• LINE_COMMENT Example output: in C-style/PHP //

How to Remove Built-in Snippets from IntelliSense¶

These steps will hide or remove specific built-in snippets from being displayed when using IntelliSense (code completion).

1. Open the Command Palette, press CTRL+Shift+P.
2. Run the command "Snippets: Insert Snippet".
3. Click on the eye icon located on the far right hand side of each snippet to toggle visibility.

Language Identifiers¶

The following list is the default language identifiers. The scope property can have one or more languages listed using the identifier (case sensitive) as the value.

Notable Directories¶

External Links¶

• JSON - Wikipedia
• Snippets in Visual Studio Code
• Visual Studio Code Language Identifiers