Using Bash within the Visual Studio Code Integrated Terminal

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) provides a powerful integrated terminal, but it defaults to using PowerShell on Windows. If you prefer to work with Bash (often used with Git, Linux-based workflows, or the Windows Subsystem for Linux – WSL), you can easily configure VS Code to use Bash instead. This tutorial will guide you through the process, covering various methods to achieve this.

Prerequisites

• Git Installation: The most straightforward way to access Bash within VS Code is by installing Git for Windows. You can download it from https://git-scm.com/download/win. The Git installation includes Git Bash, which provides a Bash environment.
• Visual Studio Code: Ensure you have Visual Studio Code installed on your system.

Method 1: Selecting Bash as the Default Shell via Command Palette

Modern versions of VS Code (1.22 and later) offer a simple way to select Bash as the default shell:

1. Open the Command Palette: Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS).
2. Type "Select Default Shell": Start typing Select Default Shell, and the command should appear in the dropdown. Select it.
3. Choose Bash: A list of available shells will appear. Select "Git Bash" (or the appropriate Bash shell if you have multiple installations). VS Code will remember this selection for future terminal sessions.

Method 2: Configuring the terminal.integrated.shell.windows Setting

If the command palette method doesn’t work or you prefer to configure the setting directly, you can modify the VS Code settings:

1. Open Settings: Press Ctrl+, (or Cmd+, on macOS) to open the Settings editor. Alternatively, go to File > Preferences > Settings.

2. Search for terminal.integrated.shell.windows: In the search bar, type terminal.integrated.shell.windows.

3. Edit the Setting: Enter the path to your bash.exe executable. If you’ve installed Git using the default settings, this is typically:

   "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe"
   

   If you have a different installation location, adjust the path accordingly.

4. Save the Settings: VS Code automatically saves the settings as you type.

Method 3: Using terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows (Advanced)

In some cases, simply setting terminal.integrated.shell.windows might not be enough. You might need to specify additional arguments to properly initialize Bash. This is particularly useful if you are encountering issues with the Bash environment not loading correctly. Add or modify these settings:

"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\git-cmd.exe",
"terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows": [
  "--command=usr/bin/bash.exe",
  "-l",
  "-i"
]

Method 4: Quick Launch with Terminal Commands

You can quickly launch a Bash session in the integrated terminal without changing the default:

1. Open the Terminal: Press `Ctrl+“ (backtick) to open the integrated terminal.
2. Type bash: Simply type bash and press Enter. This will start a Bash session within the current terminal window.
3. Switching Back: To switch back to PowerShell or the command prompt, type powershell or cmd respectively and press Enter.

Important Considerations

• Environment Variables: Ensure that any necessary environment variables are set up correctly for your Bash environment. This might involve modifying your .bashrc or .bash_profile files.
• WSL Bash: If you are using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), the path to your Bash executable will be different. You can find the path by listing the contents of /etc/wsl.conf or by checking your WSL distribution’s documentation. The terminal.integrated.shell.windows setting would then point to the WSL Bash executable.
• .bashrc vs. .bash_profile: In some configurations, .bashrc might not be sourced when starting a new interactive Bash session. If you have initialization commands in .bash_profile, consider copying them to .bashrc to ensure they are executed. This is especially relevant when working with tools like conda.
• Updating Settings: After changing any settings, you may need to restart VS Code or reload the window (Ctrl+Shift+P, then type "Reload Window") for the changes to take effect.

By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate Bash into your VS Code workflow and enjoy a consistent development experience.