How to run a command in Visual Studio Code with launch.json

Is there a way to execute an ssh command when debugging a project with .vscode/launch.json?

For example: ssh -i xxxxx.

Or is it possible to create a command that you can run from the F1 command palette pop-up? Something like RunCustomCommandxx.

You can define a task in your tasks.json file and specify that as the preLaunchTask in your launch.json and the task will be executed before debugging begins.

Example:

In tasks.json:

For version 0.1.0:

{
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "tasks": [{
        "taskName": "echotest",
        "command": "echo", // Could be any other shell command
        "args": ["test"],
        "isShellCommand": true
    }]
}

For version 2.0.0 (newer and recommended):

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [{
        "label": "echotest",
        "command": "echo", // Could be any other shell command
        "args": ["test"],
        "type": "shell"
    }]
}

In launch.json:

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            // ...
            "preLaunchTask": "echotest", // The name of the task defined above
            // ...
        }
    ]   
}

Tasks documentation: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks

Launch configuration: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/debugging#_launch-configurations

The format changed. Visual Studio Code can create the tasks.json file for you. Inside your launch.json file and inside any configurations object, just define preLaunchTask to force auto-creation of the tasks.json template file:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
      {
        "type": "node",
        "request": "launch",
        "name": "launch program",
        "skipFiles": [ "<node_internals>/**"],
        "preLaunchTask": "myShellCommand",
        "program": "${workspaceFolder}/test.js"
      }
  ]
}

If you do not have file tasks.json configured:

• launch the debugger. Visual Studio Code will inform you: "could not find the task myShellCommand"
• select Configure Task → Create tasks.json file from template → Others

Your tasks.json template file will then be created for you. Add your command to command and the name you put in preLaunchTask to label:

{
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "myShellCommand",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "echo goodfood"
    }
  ]
}