diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 8c690ceee46..af3d1adfef3 100644
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -26,6 +26,72 @@
                     "message": 5
                 }
             }
+        }, 
+        {
+            "label": "run all unit tests for the apollo project",
+            "type": "shell",
+            // you can change the "build" option to others acording to the "apollo.sh" file
+            "command": "bash apollo_docker.sh test",
+            // format the error message
+            "problemMatcher": {
+                "owner": "cc",
+                "fileLocation": [
+                    "relative",
+                    "${workspaceFolder}"
+                ],
+                "pattern": {
+                    "regexp": "^(.*):(\\d+):(\\d+):\\s+(warning|error):\\s+(.*)$",
+                    "file": 1,
+                    "line": 2,
+                    "column": 3,
+                    "severity": 4,
+                    "message": 5
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        {
+            "label": "code style check for the apollo project",
+            "type": "shell",
+            // you can change the "build" option to others acording to the "apollo.sh" file
+            "command": "bash apollo_docker.sh lint",          
+            // format the error message
+            "problemMatcher": {
+                "owner": "cc",
+                "fileLocation": [
+                    "relative",
+                    "${workspaceFolder}"
+                ],
+                "pattern": {
+                    "regexp": "^(.*):(\\d+):(\\d+):\\s+(warning|error):\\s+(.*)$",
+                    "file": 1,
+                    "line": 2,
+                    "column": 3,
+                    "severity": 4,
+                    "message": 5
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        {
+            "label": "clean the apollo project",
+            "type": "shell",
+            // you can change the "build" option to others acording to the "apollo.sh" file
+            "command": "bash apollo_docker.sh clean",
+            // format the error message
+            "problemMatcher": {
+                "owner": "cc",
+                "fileLocation": [
+                    "relative",
+                    "${workspaceFolder}"
+                ],
+                "pattern": {
+                    "regexp": "^(.*):(\\d+):(\\d+):\\s+(warning|error):\\s+(.*)$",
+                    "file": 1,
+                    "line": 2,
+                    "column": 3,
+                    "severity": 4,
+                    "message": 5
+                }
+            }
         }
     ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apollo_docker.sh b/apollo_docker.sh
index c4eabd66eea..2baa4d9a8fb 100755
--- a/apollo_docker.sh
+++ b/apollo_docker.sh
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ function start_build_docker() {
   docker ps --format "{{.Names}}" | grep apollo_dev 1>/dev/null 2>&1
   if [ $? != 0 ]; then    
     # If Google is reachable, we fetch the docker image directly. 
-    if ping -q -c 1 -W 1 www.google.com >/dev/null; then
+    if ping -q -c 1 -W 1 www.google.com 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
       opt=""
     # If Google is unreachable but Baidu reachable, we fetch the docker image from China. 
-    elif ping -q -c 1 -W 1 www.baidu.com >/dev/null; then
+    elif ping -q -c 1 -W 1 www.baidu.com 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
       opt="-C"
     # If Baidu is unreachable, we use local images. 
     else
diff --git a/docs/howto/how_to_build_and_release.md b/docs/howto/how_to_build_and_release.md
index 3c89d9adbf2..9fab4a72c27 100644
--- a/docs/howto/how_to_build_and_release.md
+++ b/docs/howto/how_to_build_and_release.md
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ The command will push your most recent release docker image to the docker hub.
 
 ## <span id="build_in_vscode">Build in Visual Studio Code</span>
 ### Install VSCode
-The easiest way to install for Debian/Ubuntu based distributions is to download in https://code.visualstudio.com and install the .deb package (64-bit) either through the graphical software center if it's available or through the command line with:
+The easiest way to install for Debian/Ubuntu based distributions is to download from  https://code.visualstudio.com and install the .deb package (64-bit) either through the graphical software center if it's available or through the command line with:
 ```bash
 sudo dpkg -i <file>.deb
 sudo apt-get install -f # Install dependencies
@@ -62,8 +62,14 @@ code
 Use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+K Ctrl+O) to open the Apollo project. 
 ### Build the Apollo project in VSCode
 Use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+B) to build the Apollo project. 
+### Run all unit tests for the Apollo project in VSCode
+Select the "Tasks->Run Tasks..." menu command and click "run all unit tests for the apollo project" from a popup menu to check the code style for the Apollo project. 
+### Run a code style check task for the Apollo project in VSCode
+Select the "Tasks->Run Tasks..." menu command and click "code style check for the apollo project" from a popup menu to check the code style for the Apollo project. 
+### Clean the Apollo project in VSCode
+Select the "Tasks->Run Tasks..." menu command and click "clean the apollo project" from a popup menu to clean the Apollo project. 
 ### Change the building option
- you can change the "build" option to an other one such as "build_gpu" (refer to the "apollo.sh" file for details) in ".vscode/tasks.json"
+ You can change the "build" option to another one such as "build_gpu" (refer to the "apollo.sh" file for details) in ".vscode/tasks.json"
 
 ## <span id="test">Test</span>
 ```bash