diff --git a/src/actions/index.ts b/src/actions/index.ts
index 4d5e543e..e053e6e3 100644
--- a/src/actions/index.ts
+++ b/src/actions/index.ts
@@ -5,5 +5,4 @@ export { default as onValidateSetup } from './onValidateSetup'
 export { default as onRunReset } from './onRunReset'
 export { default as onErrorPage } from './onErrorPage'
 export { onRunTest, onTestPass } from './onTest'
-export { onSetupActions, onSolutionActions } from './onActions'
 export { onOpenLogs } from './onOpenLogs'
diff --git a/src/actions/onActions.ts b/src/actions/onActions.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 613522a5..00000000
--- a/src/actions/onActions.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-import * as T from 'typings'
-import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
-import * as git from '../services/git'
-import loadWatchers from './utils/loadWatchers'
-import openFiles from './utils/openFiles'
-import runCommands from './utils/runCommands'
-import { onError } from '../services/telemetry'
-import logger from '../services/logger'
-
-interface SetupActions {
-  actions: TT.StepActions
-  send: T.Send
-  dir?: string
-}
-
-export const onSetupActions = async ({ actions, send, dir }: SetupActions): Promise<void> => {
-  if (!actions) {
-    return
-  }
-  const { commands, commits, files, watchers } = actions
-
-  // validate commit is new
-  let alreadyLoaded = false
-
-  // 1. run commits
-  if (commits) {
-    // load the current list of commits for validation
-    const currentCommits: string[] = await git.loadCommitHistory()
-    for (const commit of commits) {
-      // validate that commit has not already been created as a safety net
-      if (currentCommits.includes(git.getShortHash(commit))) {
-        logger(`Commit ${commit} already loaded`)
-        alreadyLoaded = true
-        continue
-      }
-      await git.loadCommit(commit).catch(onError)
-    }
-  }
-
-  // 2. open files
-  openFiles(files || [])
-
-  // 3. start file watchers
-  loadWatchers(watchers || [])
-
-  // 4. run command
-  if (!alreadyLoaded) {
-    await runCommands({ commands: commands || [], send, dir }).catch(onError)
-  }
-}
-
-export const onSolutionActions = async (params: SetupActions): Promise<void> => {
-  await git.clear()
-  return onSetupActions(params).catch(onError)
-}
diff --git a/src/channel.ts b/src/channel.ts
index 316bee74..862e50f4 100644
--- a/src/channel.ts
+++ b/src/channel.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import Context from './services/context/context'
 import logger from './services/logger'
 import { openWorkspace } from './services/workspace'
 import * as actions from './actions'
+import * as hooks from './services/hooks'
 
 interface Channel {
   receive(action: T.Action): Promise<void>
@@ -56,14 +57,12 @@ class Channel implements Channel {
       // load step actions (git commits, commands, open files)
       case 'SETUP_ACTIONS':
         await vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_POSITION, action.payload.position)
-        actions.onSetupActions({ actions: action.payload.actions, send: this.send })
+        hooks.onSetupEnter(action.payload.actions)
         return
       // load solution step actions (git commits, commands, open files)
       case 'SOLUTION_ACTIONS':
         await vscode.commands.executeCommand(COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_POSITION, action.payload.position)
-        await actions.onSolutionActions({ actions: action.payload.actions, send: this.send })
-        // run test following solution to update position
-        actions.onRunTest()
+        hooks.onSolutionEnter(action.payload.actions)
         return
       case 'EDITOR_SYNC_POSITION':
         // update progress when a level is deemed complete in the client
diff --git a/src/commands.ts b/src/commands.ts
index fa66916e..f5756696 100644
--- a/src/commands.ts
+++ b/src/commands.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ import * as T from 'typings'
 import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
 import createTestRunner from './services/testRunner'
-import { onSetupActions } from './actions/onActions'
 import createWebView from './services/webview'
 import logger from './services/logger'
+import * as hooks from './services/hooks'
 
 export const COMMANDS = {
   START: 'coderoad.start',
@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@ interface CreateCommandProps {
   workspaceState: vscode.Memento
 }
 
+let sendToClient = (action: T.Action): void => {
+  // function is replaced when webclient loads
+}
+
+// This makes it easier to pass the send
+// function throughout the codebase
+export const send = (action: T.Action): void => {
+  sendToClient(action)
+}
+
 export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandProps): { [key: string]: any } => {
   // React panel webview
   let webview: any
@@ -36,41 +46,37 @@ export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandP
           extensionPath,
           workspaceState,
         })
+        // make send to client function exportable
+        // as "send".
+        sendToClient = webview.send
       }
     },
     [COMMANDS.CONFIG_TEST_RUNNER]: async (data: TT.Tutorial) => {
-      const testRunnerConfig = data.config.testRunner
-      const setup = testRunnerConfig.setup || testRunnerConfig.actions // TODO: deprecate and remove config.actions
-      if (setup) {
-        // setup tutorial test runner commits
-        // assumes git already exists
-        await onSetupActions({
-          actions: setup,
-          send: webview.send,
-          dir: testRunnerConfig.directory || testRunnerConfig.path,
-        }) // TODO: deprecate and remove config.path
+      const setupActions = data.config.setup
+      if (setupActions) {
+        hooks.onInit(setupActions)
       }
       testRunner = createTestRunner(data, {
         onSuccess: (position: T.Position) => {
           logger('test pass position', position)
           // send test pass message back to client
-          webview.send({ type: 'TEST_PASS', payload: { position: { ...position, complete: true } } })
+          send({ type: 'TEST_PASS', payload: { position: { ...position, complete: true } } })
         },
         onFail: (position: T.Position, failSummary: T.TestFail): void => {
           // send test fail message back to client with failure message
-          webview.send({ type: 'TEST_FAIL', payload: { position, fail: failSummary } })
+          send({ type: 'TEST_FAIL', payload: { position, fail: failSummary } })
         },
         onError: (position: T.Position) => {
           // TODO: send test error message back to client
           const message = 'Error with test runner'
-          webview.send({ type: 'TEST_ERROR', payload: { position, message } })
+          send({ type: 'TEST_ERROR', payload: { position, message } })
         },
         onRun: (position: T.Position) => {
           // send test run message back to client
-          webview.send({ type: 'TEST_RUNNING', payload: { position } })
+          send({ type: 'TEST_RUNNING', payload: { position } })
         },
         onLoadSubtasks: ({ summary }) => {
-          webview.send({ type: 'LOAD_SUBTASK_RESULTS', payload: { summary } })
+          send({ type: 'LOAD_SUBTASK_RESULTS', payload: { summary } })
         },
       })
     },
@@ -85,7 +91,7 @@ export const createCommands = ({ extensionPath, workspaceState }: CreateCommandP
       testRunner({ position: currentPosition, onSuccess: callbacks?.onSuccess, subtasks })
     },
     [COMMANDS.ENTER]: () => {
-      webview.send({ type: 'KEY_PRESS_ENTER' })
+      send({ type: 'KEY_PRESS_ENTER' })
     },
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/index.ts b/src/services/hooks/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91d58810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/hooks/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
+import * as git from '../git'
+import loadCommits from './utils/loadCommits'
+import loadWatchers from './utils/loadWatchers'
+import openFiles from './utils/openFiles'
+import runCommands from './utils/runCommands'
+import runVSCodeCommands from './utils/runVSCodeCommands'
+import { onError as telemetryOnError } from '../telemetry'
+import { onRunTest } from '../../actions/onTest'
+
+export const onInit = async (actions: TT.StepActions): Promise<void> => {
+  await loadCommits(actions.commits)
+  await runCommands(actions.commands)
+  await runVSCodeCommands(actions.vscodeCommands)
+}
+
+export const onLevelEnter = async (actions: TT.StepActions): Promise<void> => {
+  await loadCommits(actions.commits)
+  await runCommands(actions.commands)
+}
+
+export const onSetupEnter = async (actions: TT.StepActions): Promise<void> => {
+  // TODO: set position
+  await loadCommits(actions.commits)
+  await openFiles(actions.files)
+  await loadWatchers(actions.watchers)
+  await runCommands(actions.commands)
+  await runVSCodeCommands(actions.vscodeCommands)
+}
+
+export const onSolutionEnter = async (actions: TT.StepActions): Promise<void> => {
+  // TODO: set position
+  await git.clear()
+  await loadCommits(actions.commits)
+  await openFiles(actions.files)
+  await runCommands(actions.commands)
+  await runVSCodeCommands(actions.vscodeCommands)
+  await onRunTest()
+}
+
+export const onError = async (error: Error): Promise<void> => {
+  telemetryOnError(error)
+}
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b134eef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/loadCommits.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import * as git from '../../git'
+
+const loadCommits = async (commits: string[]): Promise<void> => {
+  if (commits) {
+    // load the current list of commits for validation
+    for (const commit of commits) {
+      await git.loadCommit(commit)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default loadCommits
diff --git a/src/actions/utils/loadWatchers.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/loadWatchers.ts
similarity index 91%
rename from src/actions/utils/loadWatchers.ts
rename to src/services/hooks/utils/loadWatchers.ts
index 3931ec50..046dacc1 100644
--- a/src/actions/utils/loadWatchers.ts
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/loadWatchers.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as chokidar from 'chokidar'
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
-import { COMMANDS } from '../../commands'
-import { WORKSPACE_ROOT } from '../../environment'
+import { COMMANDS } from '../../../commands'
+import { WORKSPACE_ROOT } from '../../../environment'
 
 // NOTE: vscode createFileWatcher doesn't seem to detect changes outside of vscode
 // such as `npm install` of a package. Went with chokidar instead
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const disposeWatcher = (watcher: string) => {
   delete watcherObject[watcher]
 }
 
-const loadWatchers = (watchers: string[]): void => {
+const loadWatchers = (watchers: string[] = []): void => {
   if (!watchers.length) {
     // remove all watchers
     for (const watcher of Object.keys(watcherObject)) {
diff --git a/src/actions/utils/openFiles.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/openFiles.ts
similarity index 88%
rename from src/actions/utils/openFiles.ts
rename to src/services/hooks/utils/openFiles.ts
index e8bbd499..a57a7fc0 100644
--- a/src/actions/utils/openFiles.ts
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/openFiles.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 import { join } from 'path'
 import * as vscode from 'vscode'
-import { COMMANDS } from '../../commands'
 
-const openFiles = async (files: string[]): Promise<void> => {
+const openFiles = async (files: string[] = []): Promise<void> => {
   if (!files.length) {
     return
   }
diff --git a/src/actions/utils/runCommands.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/runCommands.ts
similarity index 63%
rename from src/actions/utils/runCommands.ts
rename to src/services/hooks/utils/runCommands.ts
index 41b28ef0..ed3b871d 100644
--- a/src/actions/utils/runCommands.ts
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/runCommands.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
-import * as T from 'typings'
-import { exec } from '../../services/node'
+import { exec } from '../../node'
+import { send } from '../../../commands'
 
-interface RunCommands {
-  commands: string[]
-  send: (action: T.Action) => void
-  dir?: string
-}
-
-const runCommands = async ({ commands, send, dir }: RunCommands): Promise<void> => {
+const runCommands = async (commands: string[] = []): Promise<void> => {
   if (!commands.length) {
     return
   }
@@ -19,10 +13,10 @@ const runCommands = async ({ commands, send, dir }: RunCommands): Promise<void>
     send({ type: 'COMMAND_START', payload: { process: { ...process, status: 'RUNNING' } } })
     let result: { stdout: string; stderr: string }
     try {
-      result = await exec({ command, dir })
+      result = await exec({ command })
       console.log(result)
     } catch (error) {
-      console.log(`Test failed: ${error.message}`)
+      console.error(`Command failed: ${error.message}`)
       send({ type: 'COMMAND_FAIL', payload: { process: { ...process, status: 'FAIL' } } })
       return
     }
diff --git a/src/services/hooks/utils/runVSCodeCommands.ts b/src/services/hooks/utils/runVSCodeCommands.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e4e9b0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/hooks/utils/runVSCodeCommands.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import * as vscode from 'vscode'
+import * as TT from 'typings/tutorial'
+
+// what are VSCode commands?
+// - https://code.visualstudio.com/api/references/vscode-api#commands
+// a list of commands:
+// - https://code.visualstudio.com/api/references/commands (note many take params)
+// - https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/keybindings (anything keybound is a command)
+
+const runVSCodeCommands = async (commands: TT.VSCodeCommand[] = []): Promise<void> => {
+  if (!commands.length) {
+    return
+  }
+  for (const command of commands) {
+    if (typeof command === 'string') {
+      // string named commands
+      await vscode.commands.executeCommand(command)
+    } else if (Array.isArray(command)) {
+      // array commands with params
+      const [name, params] = command
+      await vscode.commands.executeCommand(name, params)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default runVSCodeCommands
diff --git a/src/services/reset/lastHash.test.ts b/src/services/reset/lastHash.test.ts
index 891d8615..d6481ea0 100644
--- a/src/services/reset/lastHash.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/reset/lastHash.test.ts
@@ -65,10 +65,9 @@ describe('lastHash', () => {
     const tutorial: TT.Tutorial = {
       config: {
         // @ts-ignore
-        testRunner: {
-          setup: {
-            commits: ['abcdef2', 'abcdef3'],
-          },
+        testRunner: {},
+        setup: {
+          commits: ['abcdef2', 'abcdef3'],
         },
       },
       levels: [
diff --git a/src/services/reset/lastHash.ts b/src/services/reset/lastHash.ts
index 9bd0d742..34b6337a 100644
--- a/src/services/reset/lastHash.ts
+++ b/src/services/reset/lastHash.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const getLastCommitHash = (position: T.Position, tutorial: TT.Tutorial | null):
         level = levels[levelIndex - 1]
       } else {
         // use init commit
-        const configCommits = tutorial.config.testRunner.setup?.commits
+        const configCommits = tutorial.config.setup?.commits
         if (!configCommits) {
           throw new Error('No commits found to reset back to')
         }
diff --git a/src/services/testRunner/index.ts b/src/services/testRunner/index.ts
index db9ba8cd..ab2653f0 100644
--- a/src/services/testRunner/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/testRunner/index.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ const createTestRunner = (data: TT.Tutorial, callbacks: Callbacks): ((params: an
         }
       }
       logger('COMMAND', command)
-      result = await exec({ command, dir: testRunnerConfig.directory || testRunnerConfig.path }) // TODO: remove config.path later
+      result = await exec({ command, dir: testRunnerConfig.directory })
     } catch (err) {
       result = { stdout: err.stdout, stderr: err.stack }
     }
diff --git a/src/services/webview/render.ts b/src/services/webview/render.ts
index 5ff9c0fe..3ebef8a5 100644
--- a/src/services/webview/render.ts
+++ b/src/services/webview/render.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const getNonce = (): string => {
   return text
 }
 
-async function render(panel: vscode.WebviewPanel, rootPath: string) {
+async function render(panel: vscode.WebviewPanel, rootPath: string): Promise<void> {
   try {
     // load copied index.html from web app build
     const dom = await JSDOM.fromFile(path.join(rootPath, 'index.html'))
diff --git a/typings/tutorial.d.ts b/typings/tutorial.d.ts
index a75ca39d..aaa357bb 100644
--- a/typings/tutorial.d.ts
+++ b/typings/tutorial.d.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export type TutorialConfig = {
   testRunner: TestRunnerConfig
   repo: TutorialRepo
   dependencies?: TutorialDependency[]
+  setup?: StepActions
   reset?: ConfigReset
 }
 
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ export type StepActions = {
   files?: string[]
   watchers?: string[]
   filter?: string
+  vscodeCommands?: VSCodeCommand[]
 }
 
 export interface TestRunnerArgs {
@@ -70,10 +72,7 @@ export interface TestRunnerArgs {
 export interface TestRunnerConfig {
   command: string
   args: TestRunnerArgs
-  path?: string // deprecated
   directory?: string
-  actions?: StepActions // deprecated
-  setup?: StepActions
 }
 
 export interface TutorialRepo {
@@ -90,3 +89,5 @@ export interface TutorialDependency {
 export interface TutorialAppVersions {
   vscode: string
 }
+
+export type VSCodeCommand = string | [string, any]