Extensions that use original-fs will need to be modified to fall back to fs when running remote

[Chuxel]

Electron provides a node module called original-fs that provides access to base implementation of the fs node module instead of Electron's tweaked version. (See here.)

The VS Code Server in VS Code Remote Development extensions uses a standard Node.js runtime instead of Electron, so extensions that use original-fs will fail in a remote environment because this alias to fs does not exist.

Extensions should stick with the base fs implementation when possible, but if original-fs is required when running inside VS Code, the code will need to fall back to fs if original-fs isn't found. The subversion extension (#135) is an example of one currently using it.

We need to doc this issue and required changes. As an enhancement, we could also shim original-fs in the remote environment to fs.

/cc: @rebornix @alexandrudima @egamma @kieferrm

[alexdima]

👍 We could definitely shim original-fs to point to fs. Do we know how many extensions are impacted?

[Chuxel]

Not many. I did a search and only found two, but since this is likely a general class of problem, I doc’d that you should generally avoid electron dependencies unless you provide a fallback.

PR is here, see if you agree with the content: microsoft/vscode-docs#2632

The SVN author is going to patch. The issue was introduced in a recent change which is why we didn’t catch it pre release.

[rebornix]

I found 3 extensions declare dependencies on original-fs

• GoogleCloudTools.cloudcode
• Shan.code-settings-sync - a ui extension
• WakaTime.vscode-wakatime - a ui extension

[egamma]

Shan.code-settings-sync

We define this extension as a UI extension in the product.json so it should be OK.

[Chuxel]

Ok docs now reference the general recommendation of avoiding of relying on electron specific modules and that you should have a fallback if you do. SVN is looking at a fix, that would only leave two with an unknown number down the road. Probably not enough to jump on it urgently - should we leave it open for future consideration?

[egamma]

@Chuxel this issue has been analyzed and can be closed. I've filed a separate issue on shimming original-fs