Pybricks Runner for VS Code

Pybricks Runner is a VS Code extension that allows you to easily program and run your LEGO SPIKE Prime, EV3, and other Pybricks-compatible robots directly from Visual Studio Code using the pybricksdev command-line tool.

Install from VS Code Marketplace →

Features

• One-click programming: Run your Python code on LEGO robots with a single click
• Activity bar integration: Dedicated sidebar with device management
• Device scanning: Automatically detect nearby LEGO robots
• Simple integration: Uses the pybricksdev CLI tool via VS Code terminal
• Immediate feedback: See output and errors directly in the integrated terminal
• Easy robot selection: Quickly switch between different robots

Screenshots

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio Code
• Python 3.8 or higher installed on your machine
• pybricksdev installed on your machine
• Bluetooth enabled on your computer

Installing pybricksdev

macOS / Linux

pip install pybricksdev
# or
pip3 install pybricksdev

# Verify installation
pybricksdev --version

Windows

pip install pybricksdev
# or
python -m pip install pybricksdev

# Verify installation
pybricksdev --version

Verify Bluetooth Connectivity

After installing pybricksdev, test if your hub is detected:

pybricksdev devices

This should list your SPIKE Prime or other LEGO hubs if they're turned on and Bluetooth is enabled.

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace (Recommended)

Install directly from: VS Code Marketplace

Or install within VS Code:

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for pybricks-runner
4. Click Install

From VSIX File

1. Download the .vsix file from Releases
2. In VS Code, go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Click ... → Install from VSIX...
4. Select the downloaded .vsix file

Usage

Running Your Program

1. Open a Python (.py) file for Pybricks
2. Click the 🚀 Run on LEGO Brick button in the editor title bar (top right)
   • Or click the status bar button (bottom left)
   • Or use Command Palette: Pybricks: Run on Robot
3. The terminal will open and execute: pybricksdev run ble --name "YourRobot" yourfile.py

Using the Sidebar

1. Click the Pybricks icon in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)
2. View the Devices panel to see:
   • Currently selected robot
   • Available devices (click refresh to scan)
3. Click on a device to select it

Selecting a Robot

Method 1: Via Sidebar

• Click the Pybricks icon in the Activity Bar
• Click on any device in the "Devices" view to select it

Method 2: Via Command

1. Click the 🔧 Select LEGO Robot button in the editor title bar
2. Choose from the saved list or select "Custom..." to add a new robot
3. Enter your robot's name (e.g., Pybricks, SPIKE, MyRobot)

Troubleshooting

Error: 'pybricksdev: command not found'

This means pybricksdev is not installed. Install it with:

pip install pybricksdev

If still not working:

• macOS/Linux: Check if Python's bin directory is in your PATH
• Windows: Restart VS Code after installation, or add Python Scripts folder to PATH

Robot not connecting

• Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your computer
• Turn on your SPIKE Prime hub
• Click the refresh button in the Devices sidebar to scan
• Run pybricksdev devices in terminal to check if the hub is detected
• Try re-pairing the hub via your OS Bluetooth settings

Devices not showing in sidebar

• Click the refresh button in the Devices panel
• Make sure pybricksdev is installed correctly
• Ensure Bluetooth is enabled
• Make sure your robot is turned on and nearby

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests.

1. Fork this repository
2. Create your feature branch: git checkout -b my-feature
3. Commit your changes: git commit -am 'Add feature'
4. Push to the branch: git push origin my-feature
5. Submit a pull request

License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

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Happy Building!