Migrate to vscode-languageclient instead of vscode-base-languageclient

[gatesn]

As per microsoft/vscode-languageserver-node#88, an abstract BaseLanguageClient has now been exposed in the library.

It looks like a pretty significant change to monaco-languageclient to implement this, however it does unfork the library so probably worth taking on.

[akosyakov]

BaseLanguageClient merged in microsoft/vscode-languageserver-node#88 is only abstract from node env, but has dependencies on vscode and cannot be used with Monaco.

I'm fond of an idea of dropping vscode-base-languageclient in favor of vscode-languageclient instead. To make it happens the following should be done:

• vscode-base-languageclient should be rebased on vscode-langaugeclient
• the PR should be opened to merge vscode-base-languageclient to vscode-languageclient (Monaco integration microsoft/vscode-languageserver-node#88 should be reopened)

Actually, the first step should be done anyway to catch up with the latest changes.

[akosyakov]

We could try the following approach: instead of abstracting away vscode API via services in vscode-base-languageclient, we move services to this repo and implement a minimal subset of vscode api needed for vscode-languageclient with services.

It should allow getting rid of the fork (vscode-base-languageclient) without breaking.

[gatesn]

I’ve been playing around with this a little (though not making any progress so please don’t count it as “assigned”!).

It seems the VSCode-languageserver-node package uses lots of types imported from vscode. Some of these now live in vscode-languageserver-types, however some don’t, like Workspace.

Is the correct thing to do to take a dev dependency on vscode, specifying it as an engine, and then implementing simple versions of these within monaco-languageclient?

[akosyakov]

Is the correct thing to do to take a dev dependency on vscode, specifying it as an engine, and then implementing simple versions of these within monaco-languageclient?

I don't know whether it is right. It is an idea. We should try it and learn whether it is a way to go.

[akosyakov]

We had to keep this issue due to #89 (comment).

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[johnwiseheart]

While we wait, is it possible to release a new version of vscode-base-languageclient? Merged some changes to their repo which I'd like to use. Not sure how/where the differences are, so if I need to make the changes elsewhere let me know and I can do it.

[akosyakov]

@johnwiseheart We do it soon, latest by end of July.

Generally i'm thinking to refactor and move language-client to backend (node) and forward monaco APIs between frontend-backend. It will allow to use vscode-languageclient directly. It is not something which will happen soon, if it will at all.

[akosyakov]

We've decided to go with es6 dependencies and kill our fork. Clients will need to target es6 as well our use babel to down level monaco-langaugeclient and its dependencies to es5. I will explain how it can be done in the CHANGELOG.

[akosyakov]

0.10.0 was released with support of Monaco 0.17.0