It turns out that VS Code can move symbols between Python modules – but it’s hiding the feature behind the “Quick Fix…” context menu.
In VS Code, you can rename symbols project-wide by pressing F2 on them, and when renaming, for example, Python modules (= files), the editor always asks whether you want to update references to the module’s symbols. So clearly, it understands the codebase and can perform refactorings.
But no amount of searching the menus and the command palette would reveal how to move a symbol from one module to another.
Until one day, I triggered the quick fix/code actions menu (Command-. on macOS or Control-. on Linux/Windows) on a symbol by accident. And there it was: a menu section called “Move” with two entries:
- “Move symbol to…” asks you what file to move to.
- “Move symbol to new file” creates a new file based on the symbol’s name and moves the symbol there.
And both update all import paths accordingly, as expected!
I could not find these actions anywhere else in the editor, so I’m glad I stumbled upon them. I hope this helps you, too.
Addendum
You can trigger the menu by calling “Refactor…” from command palette or pressing Control-Shift-R to only get refactoring without the quick fixes.
Related docs:
