Scimax VS Code
Scimax VS Code is a comprehensive scientific computing extension for Visual Studio Code, inspired by the powerful Scimax package for Emacs. It brings literate programming, knowledge management, and scientific writing capabilities to VS Code users.
What is Scimax VS Code?
Scimax VS Code transforms Visual Studio Code into a powerful environment for:
Literate Programming - Write documents that combine prose and executable code
Scientific Computing - Execute code in 30+ languages with Jupyter integration
Knowledge Management - Organize notes, tasks, and references in structured documents
Academic Writing - Manage citations, export to LaTeX/PDF, and write papers
The extension provides first-class support for org-mode files (.org), with full structural editing and navigation support for Markdown documents (see Markdown Compatibility).
Key Features
Document Structure
Create hierarchical documents with collapsible headings, properties, and tags. Navigate efficiently with outline views, heading jumps, and fuzzy search.
Unlimited heading levels with folding support
Tags and inherited tags for organization
Properties drawers for metadata
Speed commands for rapid navigation
See Document Structure for details.
Task Management
Track tasks with TODO states, priorities, deadlines, and scheduling.
Multiple TODO states (TODO, DONE, WAITING, NEXT, HOLD, CANCELLED)
Priorities [#A], [#B], [#C]
Checkbox lists with progress tracking
Deadline and scheduled timestamps with warnings
See TODO Items for details.
Tables
Create and edit tables with spreadsheet-like formulas.
Easy table creation and navigation
Column/row manipulation
Formula support (#+TBLFM:)
Import/export to CSV
See Tables for details.
Source Code Execution
Execute code blocks in 30+ programming languages directly in your documents.
Python, JavaScript, Shell, R, Julia, and more
Jupyter kernel integration for rich output
Session support for stateful execution
Code tangling for extracting source files
Variable passing between blocks
See Source Code Blocks for details.
Export
Export documents to multiple formats with customizable options.
HTML with syntax highlighting
LaTeX with custom preambles
PDF via LaTeX compilation
Markdown (GitHub-flavored)
See Export for details.
Timestamps and Planning
Manage dates, deadlines, and scheduling with rich timestamp support.
Active and inactive timestamps
Date/time ranges
Repeating tasks (+1d, +1w, +1m)
Deadline warnings
See Timestamps for details.
Links and References
Create hyperlinks to files, URLs, headings, and more.
External links (https://, file:)
Internal links to headings and targets
Citation links with bibliography support
Custom link types
See Links for details.
Agenda Views
View and filter tasks across multiple files.
Day, week, month views
TODO list aggregation
Deadline and scheduled item views
Tag and priority filtering
See Agenda for details.
Journal System
Maintain a daily journal with calendar navigation.
One file per day organization
Calendar-based navigation
Quick capture and logging
Full-text search across entries
See Journal for details.
Database and Search
Full-text and semantic search across your documents.
SQLite FTS5 full-text search
Vector-based semantic search
Heading, source block, and hashtag search
Multiple embedding providers (local, Ollama, OpenAI)
See Database and Search for details.
Citations and Bibliography
Manage academic references with BibTeX integration.
Insert citations with multiple styles
DOI lookup for metadata
OpenAlex academic search
PDF management
See References for details.
How This Documentation is Organized
This documentation is organized into several sections:
Core Documentation (01-07)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Getting Started | Installation and first steps |
| Basic Syntax | Markup, lists, math, blocks |
| Document Structure | Headings, folding, navigation |
| TODO Items | Task management |
| Tables | Table editing and formulas |
| Links | Hyperlinks and references |
| Timestamps | Dates, deadlines, scheduling |
| Source Code Blocks | Code execution |
Code Execution (08-09)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Supported Languages | Languages for code execution |
| Jupyter | Jupyter kernel integration |
Export & Preview (10-12)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Export | Exporting documents |
| LaTeX Preview | Math rendering and preview |
| Image Overlays | Inline image display |
Organization & Planning (13-17)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Agenda | Agenda views and planning |
| Journal | Daily journaling system |
| Capture | Quick note capture |
| Notebook | Project-based organization |
| Projectile | Project management |
Search & Knowledge (18-19)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Database and Search | Full-text and semantic search |
| References | Citations and bibliography |
Reference Documentation (24-30)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Keybindings | Complete keybinding reference |
| Commands | All commands with descriptions |
| Configuration | All settings and options |
| Org API | Programmatic file modification |
| Non-Standard Features | org-ref, Emacs command markup |
| Unsupported Features | Emacs features not in VS Code |
| Command Line Interface | CLI for batch ops and scripts |
Specialized File Support (31-35)
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Publishing | Project publishing system |
| Excalidraw | Diagram editing integration |
| LaTeX Navigation | LaTeX file editing and commands |
| BibTeX Editing | BibTeX file editing and commands |
| Document Templates | Template system for documents |
| Manuscript Flattening | Prepare LaTeX for submission |
| Link Graph | Visualize file connections |
Quick Start
Install the extension from the VS Code marketplace or from a VSIX file
Open or create an org file with the .org extension
Create a heading by typing * My First Heading
Add a source block and execute it:
Explore the menus with C-c m (main menu) or C-c C-m (context menu)
See Getting Started for a complete introduction.
Getting Help
Within VS Code
Press `C-c m' to open the main Hydra menu
Press `C-c C-m' for context-sensitive menus
Use `C-S-P' and search for "Scimax" commands
Hover over elements for tooltips and information
Online Resources
GitHub Issues: Report bugs and request features
Documentation: This documentation set
Keybinding Help
Press `? ' at the beginning of a heading (with speed commands enabled) to see available speed commands.
See Keybindings for the complete reference.
Acknowledgments
Scimax VS Code is inspired by:
License
Scimax VS Code is open source software. See the LICENSE file for details.
Complete Documentation Index
This section provides a comprehensive index of all documentation topics with links for quick navigation.
Document Editing
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Document Structure | Headings, folding, properties, drawers |
| Markdown Compatibility | Markdown structural editing, navigation |
| TODO Items | Tasks, priorities, checkboxes, states |
| Timestamps | Dates, deadlines, scheduling, repeaters |
| Tables | Table creation, editing, formulas |
| Links | Hyperlinks, internal links, citations |
| Editmarks | Track changes, revision marks |
Code Execution
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Source Code Blocks | Babel execution, header arguments |
| Supported Languages | Python, R, Julia, Shell, and more |
| Jupyter Integration | Kernel management, rich output |
| Org API | Programmatic file modification in TypeScript |
Export and Preview
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Export | HTML, LaTeX, PDF, Markdown export |
| LaTeX Preview | Math rendering, equation preview |
| Image Overlays | Inline image display |
| Excalidraw | Diagram creation and editing |
Organization and Planning
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Agenda | Agenda views, task filtering |
| Journal | Daily journaling, calendar navigation |
| Capture | Quick note capture, templates |
| Notebook | Project-based organization |
| Projectile | Project management, switching |
Search and Database
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Database and Search | Full-text search, semantic search, embeddings |
| References | Citations, bibliography, DOI lookup |
Specialized File Editing
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| LaTeX Navigation | LaTeX speed commands, structure navigation |
| BibTeX Editing | BibTeX speed commands, entry/file operations, sorting |
Configuration
| Document | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Configuration | All settings, customization options |
Topic Index
Quick reference to find specific features across documentation.
Quick Start by Use Case
I want to...
Take notes and organize information
Start with Getting Started
Learn Basic Syntax for formatting text
Learn Document Structure for headings and organization
Use Capture for quick note-taking
Search with Database and Search
Manage tasks and projects
Set up tasks with TODO Items
Add dates with Timestamps
View agenda with Agenda
Organize projects with Projectile or Notebook
Write scientific documents
Execute code with Source Code Blocks
Preview math with LaTeX Preview
Manage citations with References
Export with Export
Keep a journal
Set up with Journal
Use templates from Capture
Navigate entries with Navigation
✅ Programmatically modify org files
Use the Org API in TypeScript source blocks
Bulk update TODO states, properties, and tags
Extract and transform table data
Automate repetitive org file operations
✅ Configure the extension
See all options in Configuration
Set up keybindings with Keybindings
Customize menus with Hydra Menus