# VS Code Extension Marketplace Publishing Guide
This guide covers the process of publishing the Gorev VS Code extension to the Visual Studio Code Marketplace.
## Prerequisites
- Node.js and npm installed
- VS Code Extension CLI (`vsce`) installed: `npm install -g @vscode/vsce`
- A Microsoft account
- An Azure DevOps account
## 1. Create Publisher Account
### Step 1: Sign in to Azure DevOps
1. Go to https://dev.azure.com/
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account
### Step 2: Create Personal Access Token (PAT)
1. Navigate to User Settings → Personal Access Tokens
2. Click "New Token"
3. Configure the token:
- Name: `vsce-publish`
- Organization: All accessible organizations
- Expiration: 90 days (or longer)
- Scopes: Custom defined → "Marketplace" → Check "Manage"
4. Copy and securely save the token!
### Step 3: Create Publisher
1. Go to https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/manage
2. Click "Create Publisher"
3. Fill in details:
- Publisher ID: `mehmetsenol` (or your chosen ID)
- Display Name: Your name or organization
- Description: Brief description of your work
## 2. Configure VSCE
```bash
# Login with your publisher ID
vsce login mehmetsenol
# Paste your PAT token when prompted
```
## 3. Prepare Extension for Publishing
### Update package.json
Ensure all required fields are present:
```json
{
"name": "gorev-vscode",
"displayName": "Gorev",
"description": "Powerful task management for VS Code powered by MCP protocol",
"version": "0.3.0",
"publisher": "mehmetsenol",
"icon": "media/icon.png",
"repository": {
"type": "git",
"url": "https://github.com/msenol/gorev"
},
"categories": ["Other"],
"keywords": ["task", "todo", "project management", "mcp", "gorev"]
}
```
### Create/Update .vscodeignore
```
.vscode/**
.vscode-test/**
src/**
.gitignore
.yarnrc
tsconfig.json
webpack.config.js
*.vsix
test/**
.eslintrc.json
```
### Ensure Icon Requirements
- Format: PNG (SVG not supported)
- Size: 128x128 or 256x256 pixels
- Location: As specified in package.json
## 4. Package and Test
```bash
cd gorev-vscode
# Package the extension
vsce package
# This creates a .vsix file
# Test it locally:
code --install-extension gorev-vscode-0.3.0.vsix
```
## 5. Publish to Marketplace
```bash
# Publish current version
vsce publish
# Or publish with version bump
vsce publish minor # 0.3.0 → 0.4.0
vsce publish patch # 0.3.0 → 0.3.1
# Or specify exact version
vsce publish 0.3.0
```
## 6. Post-Publishing
### Marketplace URL
Your extension will be available at:
```
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mehmetsenol.gorev-vscode
```
### Installation
Users can install via:
```bash
# Command line
code --install-extension mehmetsenol.gorev-vscode
# Or from VS Code
# Extensions panel → Search "gorev" → Install
```
## 7. Updates and Maintenance
### Publishing Updates
```bash
# Update version in package.json
npm version patch # or minor/major
# Publish update
vsce publish
```
### Monitor Statistics
View download counts, ratings, and reviews at:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/manage/publishers/mehmetsenol
## Best Practices
1. **Version Management**
- Follow semantic versioning (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH)
- Update CHANGELOG.md with each release
- Tag releases in git
2. **Quality Checks**
- Test extension thoroughly before publishing
- Run linter and fix all issues
- Ensure README is professional and complete
- Include screenshots/GIFs in README
3. **Metadata**
- Choose appropriate categories
- Add relevant keywords for discoverability
- Write clear, concise description
- Keep display name short and memorable
## Troubleshooting
### "Personal Access Token verification failure"
- Ensure PAT has Marketplace > Manage scope
- Check PAT hasn't expired
- Try creating a new PAT
### "Missing publisher name"
- Add `"publisher": "your-id"` to package.json
- Ensure you're logged in: `vsce login your-id`
### "Icon not found"
- Check icon path in package.json
- Ensure icon is PNG format
- Verify icon file exists
## Checklist
Before publishing, ensure:
- [ ] Publisher account created
- [ ] PAT token obtained and saved
- [ ] package.json has all required fields
- [ ] Icon is PNG format (128x128 or 256x256)
- [ ] README is professional and complete
- [ ] .vscodeignore excludes unnecessary files
- [ ] Extension tested locally
- [ ] Version number updated
- [ ] CHANGELOG.md updated
- [ ] Git tag created for release
## Additional Resources
- [VS Code Publishing Extensions](https://code.visualstudio.com/api/working-with-extensions/publishing-extension)
- [Extension Manifest](https://code.visualstudio.com/api/references/extension-manifest)
- [VS Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/vscode)
