Rethink/rework the Che workspace with workspace-roots

[sunix]

Is your enhancement related to a problem? Please describe.

At the moment, a lot of vscode extensions are relying on workspace root to work properly, the ones I have identified:

• openshift-connector
• quarkus-extension
• Go extension
• k8s extension

It means that we are getting through a lot bugs if we don't handle it properly. Basically, all these extensions are assuming that a project (maybe a subfolder of a git repo or not) is configured as a workspace root.

Describe the solution you'd like

The goal of this issue is to rethink the way we handle projects and create sub issues to fix all theses problem:

• Workspace root should have its own folder icon (not seen as a normal folder). (minor)
• Do not consider /projects as a workspace root unless if there is no project defined in the devfile. By default, all projects in the projects section of the devfile should be a workspace root. Multi-root Che Theia Workspaces #17212
• projects with sparseCheckoutDirs should have sparseCheckoutDirs as a workspace root folders multiroot + sparseCheckoutDir should have sparseCheckoutDir as a workspace root #19370
• Add ability to defined any subfolders of a git project as workspace roots. Add ability to defined any subfolders of a git project as workspace roots. #15347
• Implement preferences from plugin meta.yaml that works with new workspace root definition Allow to define VS Code extensions preferences in Che plugin registry #17975 (comment)
• Bi directional synchronization of workspace root definition with devfile multiroot: Bi directional synchronization of workspace root definition with devfile #19368

So we do not show anymore /projects as workspace root in the explorer. So, be careful not to break all the behaviors that are related to the current default workspace root /projects.

[tsmaeder]

@sunix number 3 would be addressed by Java LS "Classpath is incomplete" warning when loading petclinic #13427 (if I ever get to it).

[tsmaeder]

Number 4 would likely have to be configured in the devfile. For doing it by hand, we would have to write special UI, I guess, since only subpaths would be allowed. Checkout would still always be to /projects, though.

[sunix]

Number 4 would likely have to be configured in the devfile. For doing it by hand, we would have to write special UI, I guess, since only subpaths would be allowed. Checkout would still always be to /projects, though.

Yes, i have a proposal in #15347
you can also use the command Add folder to workspace to add a workspace root

[benoitf]

I've added languages as label but it might be as well editor or plug-ins

[svor]

A few words about Go extension which uses gopls (language server for Go). If the project uses Go module, it requires you to open the project as your workspace root. Some improvements should be done in the next v0.5.0 release: https://github.com/golang/go/milestone/138

[tsmaeder]

The behaviour for workspace roots is different depending on the workspace, project and language server. I believe we'll have to have some way to configure where to open a workspace root given a project structure. Also think about opening multiple projects inside a monorepo. This would require support in the devfile format.

[sunix]

@tsmaeder the proposal for opening multiple projects inside a monorepo: #15347

[amisevsk]

A few words about Go extension which uses gopls (language server for Go). If the project uses Go module, it requires you to open the project as your workspace root.

The recently-added Scala plugin has the same limitation: eclipse-che/che-plugin-registry#356

[che-bot]

Issues go stale after 180 days of inactivity. lifecycle/stale issues rot after an additional 7 days of inactivity and eventually close.

Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle stale in a new comment.

If this issue is safe to close now please do so.

Moderators: Add lifecycle/frozen label to avoid stale mode.

[azatsarynnyy]

multi-root mode is already present in Che-Theia
All further enhancements can be made within the separate issues

[sunix]

this was an umbrella issue, sub issues like #15347 were not covered

[l0rd]

Closing as we are sunsetting che-theia