tasks.json

{
  // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
  // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    // ROS extension is broken; Below tasks created for developer convenience.
    {
      "label": "rosdep install dependencies",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "rosdep install --ignore-src --from-path . -y",
      "problemMatcher": []
    },
    {
      "label": "colcon build all",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "colcon build --symlink-install",
      "problemMatcher": []
    },
    {
      "label": "colcon build specific",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "colcon build --symlink-install --packages-select ${input:package}",
      "problemMatcher": []
    },
    {
      "label": "update package index",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": "apt-get update && rosdep update",
      "problemMatcher": []
    }
  ],
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "package",
      "description": "Package",
      "default": "",
      "type": "promptString"
    }
  ]
}