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🤖 ros2env – ROS 2 Environment Manager for VS Code

ros2env is a Visual Studio Code extension that helps you manage isolated ROS2 environments with ease — start, stop, switch, and interact with them directly from your editor.

Whether you're working on multiple ROS2 projects or want to simplify environment switching, ros2env provides a seamless developer experience inside VS Code.

🎥 Step by Step Installation Video (Watch here)

🎥 Demo Video (Watch here)


🚀 Features

  • 🔍 Discover available ROS2 environments
  • ▶️ Start or stop environments with one command
  • 🧠 Open a ready to use terminal inside the environment workspace (ros2_ws)
  • 🪟 Launch GUI apps from your environment (via browser-based interface)
  • ➕ Create or 🗑️ delete environments easily
  • 🧭 Treat each environment like a virtual ROS2 workspace

🧰 Requirements

Before using ros2env, ensure the following is installed on your system:

💡 Docker is required to isolate and manage environments behind the scenes. You don't need to know Docker to use ros2env.


📦 Installation

1. Download the latest release

👉 Download ros2env-0.0.4.vsix

2. Install the extension in VS Code

code --install-extension ros2env-0.0.4.vsix

🧪 Getting Started

Here’s how to start using ros2env to manage your ROS 2 environments.

📁 1. Open or create a ROS2 project in VS Code

Open any folder where you plan to work on your ROS2 project.

If you don’t have a workspace yet, no problem — ros2env creates one for you.


➕ 2. Create a new ROS2 Environment

  1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
  2. Run: ROS2: Create Environment
  3. Enter a name for your new environment (e.g., my_ros2env)
  4. Choose a ROS 2 distro (e.g., humble, foxy, etc.)
  5. Wait for setup to complete (you’ll see progress)

🎉 A new isolated ROS2 environment will be created with a ready to use workspace.


🔁 3. Load (Switch to) an Environment

  1. Open Command Palette again
  2. Run: ROS2: Load Environment
  3. Select one of your previously created environments

This will:

  • Start the environment (if stopped)
  • Stop any running environment (if different)
  • Attach an interactive terminal inside ros2_ws

💻 4. Open a ROS 2 Terminal

  • Run: ROS2: Open Terminal
  • This opens a terminal already inside your ROS2 workspace

You're ready to build, source, and run ROS2 nodes like usual.


🖥️ 5. Launch GUI Tools

  • Run: ROS2: Open GUI
  • This opens a browser tab with access to graphical tools (RViz, Gazebo, etc.)

GUI support is provided via an embedded desktop accessible through your browser.


🛑 6. Stop an Environment

  • Run: ROS2: Stop Environment
  • This shuts down the running environment and closes terminals

🗑️ 7. Delete an Environment

  • Run: ROS2: Delete Environment
  • Select one or more environments to remove permanently

⚠️ This will stop and delete the selected environments. Use with caution.

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Visual Studio Code Extension for managing ROS2 environments.

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