diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54db2f3ce..5403ae361 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ The following LSP features are supported:
 - Selection ranges
 - Folding regions
 
+## Custom features
+
+Custom (non-standard) server endpoints:
+
+- **`customZig/listBuildSteps`**: Can be used by the client to request the list of top-level steps for a given workspace. The endpoint expects a mandatory `{workspaceUri: string}` as the `params` object. Internally, the `workspaceUri` property is used to identify the root `build.zig` file for the workspace, from which the top-level steps (and their corresponding descriptions) are extracted and returned as `{name: string, description: string}[]`. The main use case for this endpoint is to allow client IDEs to generate automatic tasks (e.g., to implement a `vscode.TaskProvider` in VS Code) based on the top-level steps in a workspace's root `build.zig` without the IDEs having to implement a custom build runner themselves (since that job is already being done by ZLS).
+
 ## Related Projects
 
 - [`sublime-zig-language` by @prime31](https://github.com/prime31/sublime-zig-language)
diff --git a/src/DocumentStore.zig b/src/DocumentStore.zig
index e40a9881a..34c280704 100644
--- a/src/DocumentStore.zig
+++ b/src/DocumentStore.zig
@@ -835,6 +835,22 @@ fn getOrLoadBuildFile(self: *DocumentStore, uri: Uri) error{ Canceled, OutOfMemo
     return new_build_file;
 }
 
+/// When a new workspace containing build.zig files is added, those files are loaded lazily.
+/// While this is desirable for most cases, certain edge cases benefit from having
+/// `BuildConfig` objects readily available. This method primes the internal worker process
+/// to immediately analyze the target build.zig file.
+pub fn primeBuildFile(self: *DocumentStore, build_file_uri: Uri) error{ Canceled, OutOfMemory, InvalidBuildFileUri, DocumentStoreDoesNotSupportBuildSystem }!void {
+    if (!isBuildFile(build_file_uri)) {
+        return error.InvalidBuildFileUri;
+    }
+
+    if (!supports_build_system) {
+        return error.DocumentStoreDoesNotSupportBuildSystem;
+    }
+
+    _ = try self.getOrLoadBuildFile(build_file_uri);
+}
+
 /// Opens a document that is synced over the LSP protocol (`textDocument/didOpen`).
 /// **Not thread safe**
 pub fn openLspSyncedDocument(self: *DocumentStore, uri: Uri, text: []const u8) error{ Canceled, OutOfMemory }!void {
diff --git a/src/Server.zig b/src/Server.zig
index b7d48eb2b..cf751d304 100644
--- a/src/Server.zig
+++ b/src/Server.zig
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ const hover_handler = @import("features/hover.zig");
 const selection_range = @import("features/selection_range.zig");
 const diagnostics_gen = @import("features/diagnostics.zig");
 
+const list_build_steps = @import("custom_features/list_build_steps.zig");
+
 const BuildOnSave = diagnostics_gen.BuildOnSave;
 const BuildOnSaveSupport = build_runner_shared.BuildOnSaveSupport;
 
@@ -1869,7 +1871,13 @@ fn processMessage(server: *Server, arena: std.mem.Allocator, message: Message) E
 
     switch (message) {
         .request => |request| switch (request.params) {
-            .other => return try server.sendToClientResponse(request.id, @as(?void, null)),
+            .other => |method_with_params| {
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, method_with_params.method, list_build_steps.method_name)) {
+                    const result = try list_build_steps.extractBuildStepsInfoHandler(server, arena, method_with_params.params);
+                    return try server.sendToClientResponse(request.id, result.items);
+                }
+                return try server.sendToClientResponse(request.id, @as(?void, null));
+            },
             inline else => |params, method| {
                 const result = try server.sendRequestSync(arena, @tagName(method), params);
                 return try server.sendToClientResponse(request.id, result);
diff --git a/src/build_runner/build_runner.zig b/src/build_runner/build_runner.zig
index d5e28a04f..9195f91ca 100644
--- a/src/build_runner/build_runner.zig
+++ b/src/build_runner/build_runner.zig
@@ -1266,13 +1266,19 @@ fn extractBuildInformation(
         available_options.putAssumeCapacityNoClobber(available_option.key_ptr.*, available_option.value_ptr.*);
     }
 
+    const top_level_steps = try gpa.alloc(BuildConfig.TopLevelStepInfo, b.top_level_steps.count());
+    defer gpa.free(top_level_steps);
+    for (b.top_level_steps.values(), top_level_steps) |v, *i| {
+        i.* = .{ .name = v.step.name, .description = v.description };
+    }
+
     const stringified_build_config = try std.json.Stringify.valueAlloc(
         gpa,
         BuildConfig{
             .dependencies = .{ .map = root_dependencies },
             .modules = .{ .map = modules },
             .compilations = compilations.items,
-            .top_level_steps = b.top_level_steps.keys(),
+            .top_level_steps = top_level_steps,
             .available_options = .{ .map = available_options },
         },
         .{ .whitespace = .indent_2 },
diff --git a/src/build_runner/shared.zig b/src/build_runner/shared.zig
index 7047f5def..ff112c01f 100644
--- a/src/build_runner/shared.zig
+++ b/src/build_runner/shared.zig
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ pub const BuildConfig = struct {
     modules: std.json.ArrayHashMap(Module),
     /// List of all compilations units.
     compilations: []const Compile,
-    /// The names of all top level steps.
-    top_level_steps: []const []const u8,
+    /// The "name and description" pairs of all top level steps.
+    top_level_steps: []const TopLevelStepInfo,
     available_options: std.json.ArrayHashMap(AvailableOption),
 
     pub const Module = struct {
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ pub const BuildConfig = struct {
 
     /// Equivalent to `std.Build.AvailableOption` which is not accessible because it non-pub.
     pub const AvailableOption = @FieldType(@FieldType(std.Build, "available_options_map").KV, "value");
+
+    pub const TopLevelStepInfo = struct {
+        name: []const u8,
+        description: []const u8,
+
+        pub fn deinit(self: *@This(), allocator: std.mem.Allocator) void {
+            allocator.free(self.name);
+            allocator.free(self.description);
+            self.* = undefined;
+        }
+    };
 };
 
 pub const ServerToClient = struct {
diff --git a/src/custom_features/list_build_steps.zig b/src/custom_features/list_build_steps.zig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ac25269c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/custom_features/list_build_steps.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+//! Request handling structures and properties used for the custom `customZig/listBuildSteps`
+//! server endpoint. The endpoint expects a `params` object of type `{ workspaceUri: string }`.
+//! The handler method is `extractBuildStepsInfoHandler` and the method name is contained in
+//! the `method_name` property.
+//!
+//! Upon successful extraction, the handler returns an array of type `BuildStepInfo`,
+//! which is a simple structure containing the step's name and description, as defined
+//! in the workspace's root `build.zig` file.
+
+const std = @import("std");
+const DocumentStore = @import("../DocumentStore.zig");
+const Server = @import("../Server.zig");
+const tracy = @import("tracy");
+const Uri = @import("../Uri.zig");
+
+const log = std.log.scoped(.list_build_steps);
+
+/// The method name for the custom server endpoint.
+pub const method_name = "customZig/listBuildSteps";
+
+const Params = struct {
+    const workspace_uri_key = "workspaceUri";
+
+    workspace_uri: []const u8,
+
+    pub fn fromJson(value: ?std.json.Value) ?@This() {
+        const v = value orelse return null;
+        if (v != .object) return null;
+        const workspace_uri_value = v.object.get(workspace_uri_key) orelse return null;
+        switch (workspace_uri_value) {
+            .string => |s| return .{ .workspace_uri = s },
+            else => return null,
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+pub const BuildStepInfo = struct {
+    name: []const u8,
+    description: []const u8,
+
+    pub fn init(arena: std.mem.Allocator, name: []const u8, description: []const u8) std.mem.Allocator.Error!@This() {
+        const allocated_name = try std.fmt.allocPrint(arena, "{s}", .{name});
+        const allocated_description = try std.fmt.allocPrint(arena, "{s}", .{description});
+        return .{ .name = allocated_name, .description = allocated_description };
+    }
+};
+
+/// A request handler that extracts top-level build steps from the document
+/// store using the workspace URI provided in the `params` object.
+pub fn extractBuildStepsInfoHandler(server: *Server, arena: std.mem.Allocator, params: ?std.json.Value) error{ InvalidParams, OutOfMemory, Canceled }!std.ArrayList(BuildStepInfo) {
+    const tracy_zone = tracy.trace(@src());
+    defer tracy_zone.end();
+
+    if (!DocumentStore.supports_build_system) {
+        return .empty;
+    }
+
+    var workspace_uri: Uri = undefined;
+    if (Params.fromJson(params)) |p| {
+        _ = blk: {
+            for (server.workspaces.items) |w| {
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, w.uri.raw, p.workspace_uri)) {
+                    workspace_uri = w.uri;
+                    break :blk;
+                }
+            }
+            // log.debug("Could not find {s} in workspace list", .{p.workspace_uri});
+            return error.InvalidParams;
+        };
+    } else {
+        // log.debug("No information available regarding root 'build.zig' file, so returning empty array", .{});
+        return error.InvalidParams;
+    }
+
+    const build_file_path = try std.fmt.allocPrint(arena, "{s}/build.zig", .{workspace_uri.raw});
+    const build_file_uri = Uri.parse(arena, build_file_path) catch |err| {
+        // log.err("Failed to parse build file path {s} as URI: {}", .{ build_file_path, err });
+        switch (err) {
+            error.OutOfMemory => |e| return e,
+            else => return error.InvalidParams,
+        }
+    };
+
+    server.document_store.primeBuildFile(build_file_uri) catch |err| {
+        switch (err) {
+            error.Canceled, error.OutOfMemory => |e| return e,
+            else => { // `InvalidBuildFileUri` (should not be possible) or `DocumentStoreDoesNotSupportBuildSystem` (not possible at this point)
+                log.err("Failed to prime build file {s}: {}", .{ build_file_uri.raw, err });
+                return .empty;
+            },
+        }
+    };
+
+    try server.document_store.mutex.lock(server.io);
+    defer server.document_store.mutex.unlock(server.io);
+
+    const build_file = server.document_store.build_files.get(build_file_uri) orelse {
+        return .empty;
+    };
+
+    var items: std.ArrayList(BuildStepInfo) = .empty;
+
+    if (build_file.tryLockConfig(server.io)) |config| {
+        defer build_file.unlockConfig(server.io);
+        for (config.top_level_steps) |step_info| {
+            log.debug("Build step found in {s}: name = {s}; description = {s}", .{ build_file.uri.raw, step_info.name, step_info.description });
+            const item: BuildStepInfo = try .init(arena, step_info.name, step_info.description);
+            try items.append(arena, item);
+        }
+    } else {
+        log.debug("Failed to lock build file for {s}", .{build_file.uri.raw});
+    }
+
+    return items;
+}
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/add_module.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/add_module.json
index bbd40dca0..1c710e4ff 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/add_module.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/add_module.json
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/define_c_macro.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/define_c_macro.json
index 080938f0e..bb1790d9c 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/define_c_macro.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/define_c_macro.json
@@ -11,8 +11,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/empty.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/empty.json
index 8faf4b959..ad0bd1f31 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/empty.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/empty.json
@@ -3,8 +3,14 @@
   "modules": {},
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/module_root_source_file_collision.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/module_root_source_file_collision.json
index 33e14abbd..3682ab825 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/module_root_source_file_collision.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/module_root_source_file_collision.json
@@ -32,8 +32,14 @@
     }
   ],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/module_self_import.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/module_self_import.json
index 13e4c5c8a..ce8907e28 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/module_self_import.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/module_self_import.json
@@ -11,8 +11,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/multiple_module_import_names.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/multiple_module_import_names.json
index 5072d1e2c..e73c09564 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/multiple_module_import_names.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/multiple_module_import_names.json
@@ -26,8 +26,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/no_root_source_file.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/no_root_source_file.json
index 74269b1b8..f41fef4dd 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/no_root_source_file.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/no_root_source_file.json
@@ -16,8 +16,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/build_runner_cases/public_module_with_generated_file.json b/tests/build_runner_cases/public_module_with_generated_file.json
index f170bf379..169f8b8ad 100644
--- a/tests/build_runner_cases/public_module_with_generated_file.json
+++ b/tests/build_runner_cases/public_module_with_generated_file.json
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@
   },
   "compilations": [],
   "top_level_steps": [
-    "install",
-    "uninstall"
+    {
+      "name": "install",
+      "description": "Copy build artifacts to prefix path"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Remove build artifacts from prefix path"
+    }
   ],
   "available_options": {}
 }
\ No newline at end of file