KritaExec

KritaExec for VS Code
Supercharge your Krita Python plugin development with zero-config IntelliSense and an integrated plugin scaffolding system.
This extension provides syntax highlighting, snippets, and full auto-completion using the bundled Krita Python API stubs — plus a ready-made plugin builder for hot-reload development.

Get it on the VS Code Marketplace

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Features

• Bundled Krita API Stubs
  Uses the official Python API from your installed Krita program for complete IntelliSense, type hints, and docstrings.
  (The current bundled API is based on Krita 5.2.)

• Auto-Enable IntelliSense
  Automatically detects Python files and injects the Krita API stub path into python.analysis.extraPaths.

• Manual Command Support
  Enable Krita IntelliSense on demand via KritaExec: Enable Krita API IntelliSense.

• Plugin Scaffolding
  Create a new Krita plugin project instantly with KritaExec: Create Krita Plugin.

• Hot-Reloadable Builds
  Build and reload your plugin in Krita with one command — no restarts required.

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Commands

Command	Description
KritaExec: Enable Krita API IntelliSense	Injects the Krita API stub path into workspace settings
KritaExec: Create Krita Plugin	Scaffolds a Krita plugin project with a ready-to-build structure

Keybindings

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Alt+K	Enable Krita API IntelliSense
Ctrl+Alt+G	Create a new Krita plugin

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Workflow

1. Create a Plugin

Run KritaExec: Create Krita Plugin (Ctrl+Alt+G) to generate a new folder in your workspace with a sample plugin scaffold, including a pre-configured builder script.

2. Build Your Plugin

Inside your plugin folder, use the builder script:

.\{PluginName}\builder.cmd

• Builds into a local bin/ folder.
• Each build is hot-reloadable inside Krita.

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3. Deploy Directly to Krita

To build straight into Krita's plugin directory (on Windows):

.\{PluginName}\builder.cmd "%APPDATA%\krita"

Works similarly on Linux and macOS --- just pass Krita's resource folder as argument.

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4. Config-Driven Setup

Your config.json defines the plugin's:

• Display Name
• Shortcut
• Description

The builder reads this automatically and generates:

• .desktop file
• .action file

So each build is always in sync with your plugin metadata.

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5. Builder Description

KritaExec Plugin

5. Builder Description

This plugin follows a simple but strict structure built around three core files:

• init.py – handles plugin initialization.
• loader.py – manages execution flow and hot reloading.
• main.py – contains the main plugin logic.

These files must always exist, while additional files can be added to extend functionality.

Hot Reloading

The loader executes the action on each run, always loading it directly from disk.
This enables hot reloading, which is the only way to update scripts at runtime since Krita preloads all scripts on startup.

Actions & Shortcuts

Using the built-in builder and config system, the plugin can:

• Automatically generate action files.
• Add actions directly to Krita.
• Assign keyboard shortcuts without manual setup.

This makes it quick to expand the plugin with new scripts and commands.

Menu Integration

The loader can also create menu entries automatically. For example, if your script location is defined as:
KritaExec/FastScripts/

• A new KritaExec menu will appear at the end of (or next to) Krita’s Help menu.
• Inside it, a FastScripts submenu will be created.
• Each script inside that folder will be listed there as a menu item.

This ensures all plugin actions are neatly organized and easily accessible.

Plugin Description

The plugin description should be written in the README.md file.
It will also be displayed inside Krita’s Plugin Manager list, so users can quickly understand the plugin’s purpose before enabling it.

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How It Works

1. Stub Path Injection
   On activation, KritaExec locates bundled stubs (from krita-lang) and injects them into workspace settings.

2. Scaffolding
   A sample-plugin template is copied and renamed, with placeholders like SamplePlugin replaced by your chosen name.

3. Builder
   The included builder.cmd script copies .py, config.json, and metadata files into the chosen destination (bin/ or Krita's plugin folder).

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Requirements

• Krita installed on your system.
• VS Code 1.60.0+
• Python extension (Pylance) for IntelliSense.

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Troubleshooting

• No IntelliSense: Ensure your workspace is a folder (not just a single file).
• Wrong stub path: Run KritaExec: Enable Krita API IntelliSense.
• Plugin not reloading: Verify you are building into Krita's active resource folder.

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🙏 Acknowledgments

I would like to sincerely thank the Krita team
and the KDE Community for creating and maintaining
such an amazing piece of free and open-source software.

Krita has empowered countless artists and developers worldwide, and without their work,
projects like KritaExec would not be possible. 💙

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