IDE Integration

Stackpanel generates IDE configuration files so that every developer on your team gets the same editor experience—extensions, settings, debug configurations, and devshell integration—without anyone having to set it up manually.

Why Generate IDE Config?

Every team has the same conversation: "make sure you install the Nix formatter extension," "use these workspace settings," "here's the launch.json for debugging." These instructions live in a README that nobody reads, and new team members spend their first hour configuring their editor.

Stackpanel treats IDE configuration the same way it treats everything else: as build output. Your Nix config declares what the editor should look like, and Stackpanel generates the files your editor expects.

Enable IDE Integration

stackpanel.ide = {
  enable = true;
  vscode.enable = true;
  zed.enable = true;
};

When enabled, Stackpanel generates editor-specific configuration files in the standard locations your editor reads. Every team member gets identical settings without copying files or following setup docs.

What Gets Generated

Generated files are committed to Git, so they work for every team member immediately—no manual setup step.

Quick Example

stackpanel.ide = {
  enable = true;

  vscode = {
    enable = true;

    # Recommend extensions for the team
    extensions = [
      "jnoortheen.nix-ide"
      "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
      "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint"
      "bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss"
    ];

    # Workspace settings
    settings = {
      "editor.formatOnSave" = true;
      "editor.defaultFormatter" = "esbenp.prettier-vscode";
      "nix.enableLanguageServer" = true;
      "nix.serverPath" = "nil";
    };
  };
};

This generates .vscode/settings.json and .vscode/extensions.json with the specified configuration. When a team member opens the project in VS Code, they're prompted to install the recommended extensions and the settings apply automatically.

Devshell Environment Loading

One of the most useful features is automatic devshell environment loading. When configured, your editor runs inside the Stackpanel devshell environment—meaning language servers, formatters, and tools resolve to the Nix-provided versions, not whatever's installed globally on the developer's machine.

This eliminates the "my LSP uses a different TypeScript version" class of problems entirely.

Extension Contributions

Extensions can contribute IDE settings alongside their other features. When you enable the OxLint extension, it can add the OxLint VS Code extension to the recommended list and configure the linter settings. When you enable the Go module, it can set up gopls with the correct GOPATH. Each extension manages its own IDE integration.

# Inside an extension module
config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
  stackpanel.ide.vscode.settings = {
    "oxlint.enable" = true;
    "oxlint.configPath" = cfg.config-file;
  };

  stackpanel.ide.vscode.extensions = [
    "nicolo-ribaudo.vscode-oxlint"
  ];
};

Multiple extensions can contribute settings and extension recommendations. The module system merges everything into a single set of generated files.

Editors

Reference

• Options Reference → IDE for all IDE configuration options
• Core Concepts → File Generation for how generated files work
• Dev Environment for the devshell that IDE integration builds on