Extension Compatibility

[Leon0402]

Hi,

I tried to install an extension with theia (https://open-vsx.org/extension/llvm-vs-code-extensions/vscode-clangd) and got the error: "The language client requires VS Code version ^1.46.0 but received version 1.44.0"

So it seems like this plugin is built against a specific version of Vs Code. Now I wondered how theia works with this? When will this version be bumped?

I use theia 1.6 as an electron app.

[vince-fugnitto]

@Leon0402 the framework defines a default API version which is supported:

theia/packages/plugin-ext-vscode/src/node/plugin-vscode-init.ts

Line 22 in 56c158d

export const VSCODE_DEFAULT_API_VERSION = '1.44.0';

There is ongoing work to fetch extension versions which satisfy this API version, else you can update your application to bump the version, or start the application with a specific version through the cli:

theia/packages/plugin-ext-vscode/src/node/plugin-vscode-cli-contribution.ts

Lines 32 to 39 in 56c158d

	configure(conf: Argv): void {
	conf.option(PluginVsCodeCliContribution.VSCODE_API_VERSION, {
	// eslint-disable-next-line max-len
	description: `Overrides the version returned by VSCode API 'vscode.version'. Example: --${PluginVsCodeCliContribution.VSCODE_API_VERSION}=<Wanted Version>. Default [${VSCODE_DEFAULT_API_VERSION}]`,
	type: 'string',
	nargs: 1
	});
	}

The version should be bumped upstream when we are confident the 'majority' of the VS Code API is supported for the given version.

[Leon0402]

Hmm I wonder though if then extensions, which require higher versions shouldn't be installed?
I would expect that I can install older versions of extensions, which are compatible.

How it the compatibilty tracked? Is there some kind of list showing missing stuff (which would also enable developers to contribute)?

[vince-fugnitto]

As I mentioned, it's currently in progress to only install versions which are API-compatible when searching for them in the Extensions view.

• [vsx registry] client should take into account the extension's engines.vscode value #7464
• vsx-registry: implement extension compatibility handling #8191

You may look at issues labeled vscode which are generally used to refer to issues regarding API compatibility.

I believe the following document will also illustrate missing APIs: https://che-incubator.github.io/vscode-theia-comparator/status.html