VS Code Extension shows `Runtime Unhealthy` as error

[afscrome]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Describe the bug

On the aspire dashboard, Runtime unhealthy, shows up as a warning. But in the VS Code extension, it shows up as an error

Expected Behavior

I'd expect the rendering between the dashboard and vs code extension to match up. (i.e. render as a warning)

Also as I think about it more, I do wonder if Runtime Unhealthy should be displayed more like Waiting - as essentially the resource is waiting on your container runtime to start.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Ensure docker (or any other container runtime is not running)
2. Start an app host in VS Code. (I used playground/redis/Redis.AppHost/)

Exceptions (if any)

No response

Aspire doctor output

No response

Anything else?

Aspire
  ✅ Aspire CLI version 13.4.6 (channel: stable)  

AppHost
  ✅ AppHost version 13.5.0 (Redis.AppHost\Redis.AppHost.csproj)  

.NET SDK
  ✅ .NET 10.0.302 installed (x64)  

Container Runtime
  ⚠️ Docker: installed but not running ← active  
       Start Docker Desktop       

Environment
  ✅ HTTPS development certificate is trusted  

Summary: 4 passed, 1 warnings, 0 failed
For detailed prerequisites: https://aka.ms/aspire-prerequisites

Aspire CLI Installations
========================

╭────────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┬─────────┬───────────┬─────────────╮
│ Path                               │ Version                            │ Channel │ Route     │ PATH status │
├────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────┼─────────┼───────────┼─────────────┤
│ C:\Users\alexanderc\.aspire\bin\as │ 13.4.6+87fe259e4fc244c599019a7b130 │ stable  │ (unknown) │ active      │
│ pire.exe (current)                 │ 4c85a1488f248                      │         │           │             │
╰────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┴─────────┴───────────┴─────────────╯

[joperezr]

🤖 Aspire triage pass — 2026-07-28 09:03 UTC

Area: area-vscode-extension
Kind: bug
Repro: yes-minimal — 2-step repro in the "Steps To Reproduce" section (stop container runtime, start apphost in VS Code)
Affected version(s): CLI 13.4.6 / AppHost 13.5.0 (per doctor output)
Severity: S4 — cosmetic severity mismatch: the same Runtime unhealthy state renders as a warning in the dashboard but as an error in the VS Code extension; visual only, no functional blockage.

Urgency: ⚪ backlog — no milestone
Reason: S4 UI-polish inconsistency, not a regression; safe to defer while 13.5 stabilizes.

Suggested owner(s): Adam Ratzman (@adamint) (score ~14), backup Ella Hathaway (@ellahathaway) (score ~6)
Evidence:

• adamint merged many recent area-vscode-extension PRs (e.g. Harden extension terminal display fallback #18500, Harden VS Code extension AppHost E2E paths #18322, Teach PR testing skill to validate VS Code extension changes #17963, Show extension compatibility error for empty running AppHost describe #17925, Improve the Aspire VS Code extension funnel #17898) in the last 90d
• adamint resolved numerous area-vscode-extension issues as completed (e.g. Re-enable VS Code extension E2E tests in CI (temporarily disabled due to flakiness) #18412, Flaky: VS Code extension zero-to-running E2E fails in "after each" teardown (AggregateError) on Windows #18098, VS Code extension dogfooding doesn't work with CLI dogfooding #18073, VS Code Extension shouldn't kill a debug session if broken on a Breakpoint for over 2 minutes #18021)
• ellahathaway also active in the area (PRs Fix VS Code extension ignoring non-zero debuggee exit code #18712, Unify workspace/global AppHost describe --follow streaming #18527, Fix stale AppHost running state after debug session ends #17965)

Confidence: high
Needs human?: no