adding-tool-windows

To create a dockable tool window in Visual Studio extensions, you need to implement specific patterns depending on your extensibility model. This involves using VisualStudio.Extensibility, VSIX Toolkit, or VSSDK to generate the pane, handle async initialization, and activate it via commands.

Remote UI and VSSDK ToolWindowPane are different extensibility models for building tool windows. Remote UI operates out-of-process via VisualStudio.Extensibility, while VSSDK uses the traditional in-process ToolWindowPane pattern for dockable IDE panels.

You can show and hide a VSIX tool window by implementing command-based activation. This ensures proper visibility control and persistence across IDE sessions while safely initializing the panel content asynchronously.

Memory leaks in Visual Studio tool windows often occur due to improper resource disposal. You must ensure proper resource disposal during tool window deactivation to prevent leaks and maintain safe initialization across sessions.

Yes, you can use the VSIX Community Toolkit to build persistent tool windows. It utilizes the BaseToolWindow pattern to create dockable panels that integrate with Solution Explorer and maintain visibility across Visual Studio sessions.