RevoEngine Documentation

RevoEngine Platform Tools is the official VS Code extension for local RevoEngine low-code workspaces. It is an editor layer over the RevoEngine CLI: the extension presents project state, components, local changes, and debugger output; the CLI remains the authenticated platform client.

The extension works only in a trusted workspace. VS Code disables it in Restricted Mode because it runs the local CLI and reads or writes the opened project files.

Requirements

VS Code 1.90 or newer;
Node.js 24 or newer, matching the current CLI requirement;
a current @revoengine/cli installation available as revo;
a RevoEngine API key stored through the CLI login flow.

Install the prerequisites and extension:

npm install --global @revoengine/cli@latest
code --install-extension revoengine.revoengine

You can also install RevoEngine Platform Tools from the VS Code Extensions view. If your organization distributes a signed .vsix artifact, use VS Code’s Install from VSIX… command instead.

First workspace

Open and trust the project

Open the repository folder in VS Code and trust it. The extension is intentionally inactive in untrusted workspaces.

Authenticate the CLI

Open the RevoEngine activity-bar view and run RevoEngine: Authenticate CLI. The CLI asks for an API key and resolves the instance bound to it; do not place the key in workspace files.

Initialize the workspace

Run RevoEngine: Initialize Workspace. This creates the local project metadata under .revoengine/ and defines the workspace used by the CLI.

Refresh editor types

Run RevoEngine: Refresh Editor Types so IntelliSense reflects the current low-code runtime, active libraries, and generated definitions for the authenticated instance.

Inspect before changing

Use the Workspace, Components, Sync, and Debugger views to check local state, baseline differences, and runtime behavior before any push or activation.

What the extension adds

View or capability	What it does
Workspace	Shows CLI availability, authentication state, workspace metadata, component identity mode, editor types, and compiler configuration.
Components	Browses local components by category; pulls or pushes an individual component, compares local changes, adds elements, and reorders them.
Search	Searches local component names, identifiers, categories, descriptions, and element files, then opens the matching source.
Sync	Builds a local change plan against the last synchronized baseline. In Git workspaces it keeps Git as the branch-conflict authority.
Debugger	Runs a selected component or temporary JavaScript/TypeScript source through the CLI, streams logs, and saves result evidence locally.
Library navigation	Enables definition navigation for `lib.Category.Name.ElementKey.X` references using generated metadata.
TypeScript support	Keeps normal TypeScript diagnostics and IntelliSense while recognizing RevoEngine’s valid top-level-return component wrapper.

Local project model

The extension and CLI work with a deterministic project layout:

.revoengine/
  revo.json
  types/
  baselines/
  output/
Components/
  <category>/
    <component-name>-<component-id>/
      component.json
      elements/

component.json is the local component manifest. Element files are ordered by the manifest and use names derived from their element keys. The extension keeps a last-synced baseline under .revoengine/baselines/ solely for local review; it is not a replacement for Git or the platform’s version history.

Git-first synchronization

In a Git repository, use ordinary Git workflows for branch pull, rebase, merge, and conflict resolution. Then select Refresh in the Sync view to recalculate the RevoEngine plan and safely update clean baselines. Direct RevoEngine pull and push actions remain available for non-Git workspaces or deliberate repair workflows, but they are not a substitute for branch conflict management. Always open a diff before pushing a changed component.

Debug without deployment

The Debugger runs a working-copy snapshot of the selected component. It can use current editor buffers and changed local library overrides, yet it does not save, push, deploy, or activate the original component. Use it to validate a bounded input payload, inspect streamed api.log() output, and review returned results, timing, and memory consumption. Treat an external side effect performed by component code as consequential even though the source itself was not deployed.

Monorepos and settings

For a project whose RevoEngine workspace lives below the repository root, use RevoEngine: Set Workspace Directory. The extension stores the relative directory in .revoengine/vscode.json:

{
  "workspaceDirectory": "backend"
}

Useful settings include:

Setting	Purpose
`revoengine.cliPath`	Use a named or absolute CLI executable when `revo` is not on `PATH`.
`revoengine.autoRefreshAfterPull`	Refresh the Components view after a successful pull.
`revoengine.autoPullWhenEmpty`	Opt in to a first-time bulk pull for an otherwise ready empty workspace.
`revoengine.autoFormatJsonOnOpen`	Format RevoEngine-managed source and JSON files on open through the active VS Code formatter.
`revoengine.lifecycleLogLevel`	Enable bounded extension diagnostics in the RevoEngine Output channel when troubleshooting.

Never commit .revoengine/ credentials, debug payloads containing private data, generated output with secrets, or local baselines as a way to share access. Use Git for reviewed source changes and the CLI credential store for authentication.

CLI workflow

Initialize projects, synchronize components, review drift, and push with explicit intent.

Debugging

Understand the Sandbox and component debugging workflow.

Integrate

Node.js SDK

CLI

VS Code

VS Code extension

Requirements

First workspace

What the extension adds

Local project model

Git-first synchronization

Debug without deployment

Monorepos and settings

CLI workflow

Debugging

​Requirements

​First workspace

​What the extension adds

​Local project model

​Git-first synchronization

​Debug without deployment

​Monorepos and settings

CLI workflow

Debugging

Requirements

First workspace

What the extension adds

Local project model

Git-first synchronization

Debug without deployment

Monorepos and settings