Using MSYS2 with Visual Studio Code

msys2-visual-studio-code.md

Using MSYS2 with Visual Studio Code is extremely easy now thanks to the Shell Launcher extension by Tyriar.

First, install the extension and reload Visual Studio Code.

Then, open the settings.json to edit your settings.

Add the field shellLauncher.shells.windows. I recommend using autocompletion here so that all the default shells are added.

You should having something like this now:

{
    "shellLauncher.shells.windows": [
        {
            "shell": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe",
            "label": "cmd"
        },
        {
            "shell": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
            "label": "PowerShell"
        },
        {
            "shell": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
            "label": "Git bash"
        },
        {
            "shell": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\bash.exe",
            "label": "WSL Bash"
        }
    ]
}

Now you have to add the MSYS2 bash to the list of shells.

Add this shell into the list. The path to your installing of MSYS2 may be different. Just find the path to bash.exe in /usr/bin/.

{
    "shell": "C:\\msys64\\usr\\bin\\bash.exe",
    "label": "MSYS2",
    "args": ["--login", "-i"],
    "env": {
        "MSYSTEM": "MINGW64",
        "CHERE_INVOKING": "1",
        "MSYS2_PATH_TYPE": "inherit"
    }
}

You can choose to remove MSYS2_PATH_TYPE if you don't want your shell to inherit all the existing PATH settings from Windows.

No need for an extension anymore due to the native interated terminal profiles. But this is still useful to get the configuration right. @slvdrvlc posted it already, but it's not so well readable.

Actually, all you have to do now is to add an entry to the "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows" setting in settings.json (if it is not there, add it and let it autocomplete):

"MSYS2 Bash": {
  "path": "C:\\msys64\\usr\\bin\\bash.exe",
  "args": ["--login", "-i"],
  "env": {
      "MSYSTEM": "MINGW64",
      "CHERE_INVOKING": "1",
      "MSYS2_PATH_TYPE": "inherit"
  }
}

I don't use this extension.
The default terminal in my VSCode is Git Bash
Here's what it looks like.

  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Git Bash",
  "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
    "Git Bash": {
      "path": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
      "args": ["--login"]
    }
  }

I don't use this extension. The default terminal in my VSCode is Git Bash Here's what it looks like.

  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Git Bash",
  "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
    "Git Bash": {
      "path": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
      "args": ["--login"]
    }
  }

Good

For msys64 you can use

    "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
        "msys64 - bash": {
            "path": "C:\\msys64\\usr\\bin\\bash.exe"
            // ,"args": [
            //     "-arg1",
            //     "-ar2"
            // ]
        }
    },
    "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "msys64 - bash"