Command Palette

Positron inherits the Command Palette from VS Code. The Command Palette is a fast and powerful way to interact with Positron without taking your hands off the keyboard. Think of it as a search bar for functionality. Rather than navigating menus, you can quickly find and run commands from a single interface.

For additional documentation on the Command Palette, see the VS Code Command Palette documentation.

Command access and execution

The Command Palette provides access to all Positron commands. You can execute any command without using menus or remembering keyboard shortcuts.

To open the Command Palette, press . Start typing a keyword or the name of a command. The Command Palette shows a list of matching actions. Use the arrow keys to select a command, then press to run it.

For example, you can:

  • type “interpreter” to view interpreter session management commands.
  • type “git” to view version control commands.

File access and navigation

The Command Palette makes it easy to open files without using the file explorer. This is especially useful in large projects with many files.

Press to open the file picker. Start typing part of a file name to see matching files. Use the arrow keys to select a file, then press to open the selected file.

You can also use:

Key Action

Switch to command mode

Search for symbols in the current file

Search for symbols across the workspace
followed by a line number Jump to that line

Tips for effective use

  • Use partial matches: You do not need to type the full command or file name. The Command Palette uses fuzzy matching to find what you need.
  • Learn common prefixes: Commands are grouped by category (for example, “View:” for layout commands, “Git:” for version control).
  • Browse available commands: Open the Command Palette and scroll through the list to discover new functionality.
  • Use recent commands: The Command Palette shows recently used commands first, making it faster to repeat common tasks.