SkycodeSkycode

Terminal Troubleshooting

Fixing shell integration, PowerShell, and command execution issues

Shell Integration

Skycode relies on Shell Integration — a built-in VS Code feature that tracks command output and exit codes. Without it, the AI cannot understand command results.

Symptoms

  • "Shell integration unavailable" warning in chat
  • Commands run but Skycode doesn't see the output
  • Timeout on the first command

Quick Fixes

  1. Update Skycode — Ctrl+Shift+P → "Update"
  2. Switch terminal profile — Ctrl+Shift+P → "Terminal: Select Default Profile" → choose PowerShell 7 or bash
  3. Increase timeout — Settings → Terminal → "Shell integration timeout" (default 15 sec)
  4. Use background mode — Settings → Terminal → Execution mode → "Background execution"

PowerShell Issues

Windows PowerShell 5.1 (built into Windows) has limited Shell Integration support.

Solution

Install PowerShell 7+:

winget install Microsoft.PowerShell

Then switch the default profile:

Ctrl+Shift+P → "Terminal: Select Default Profile" → PowerShell (not Windows PowerShell)

Check Version

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

If Major is 5 — it's the legacy version. You need 7+.

Commands Not Executing

SymptomCauseSolution
Timeout on first commandSlow shell initializationIncrease timeout to 30+ sec
"Busy" terminalPrevious command hasn't finishedEnable "Aggressive terminal reuse" or restart terminal
No outputShell Integration not activeSwitch to background mode
Permission errorPowerShell execution policySet-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Background Execution Mode

If terminal issues persist — use background execution. Commands run in a separate process, bypassing the VS Code terminal.

Settings → Terminal → Execution mode → Background execution

Limitations:

  • Output is only available after the command finishes
  • Interactive commands (ssh, vim) are not supported
  • Terminal environment variables are not inherited

Terminal Output Limit

Skycode truncates command output to a set line limit. If the AI misses important output:

  • Settings → Terminal → Terminal output limit — increase the value
  • Sub-agents have a separate limit