Ability to define user specific customizations.vscode.extensions

[rickyjames35]

The ability to automatically install VS Code extensions into a devcontainer using customizations.vscode.extensions offers great convenience. However, when collaborating within a team, it's advisable to limit the installation to only those extensions that are essential for the project. For instance, consider ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack and ms-vscode.cmake-tools.

The question arises whether it's wise to automatically install even the essential VS Code extensions into a devcontainer, as the recommended approach is to maintain devcontainers in an IDE-agnostic manner. This, of course, leads to a separate discussion.

Nonetheless, many developers have specific extensions they prefer, such as Rainbow Indent and Github Copilot. With devcontainers, there's a need to reinstall these extensions each time the container is rebuilt. One method attempted involves volume mounting /home/remoteUser/.vscode-server. However, this approach presents permission issues and potentially other challenges.

Are there established best practices for effectively managing this situation?

[rickyjames35]

Related issues

• Ability to extend devcontainer.json microsoft/vscode-remote-release#8430
• Addition of "extends" top level property to enable simple configuration inheritance #22

[samruddhikhandale]

Hi 👋

Thanks for opening the issue!

However, when collaborating within a team, it's advisable to limit the installation to only those extensions that are essential for the project. For instance, consider ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack and ms-vscode.cmake-tools.

@rickyjames35 Are you looking for a mechanism to opt out of extensions which gets added to the dev container (either by an image or Features)? Wondering if devcontainers/features#386 could be helpful in your case.

Nonetheless, many developers have specific extensions they prefer, such as Rainbow Indent and Github Copilot. With devcontainers, there's a need to reinstall these extensions each time the container is rebuilt. One method attempted involves volume mounting /home/remoteUser/.vscode-server. However, this approach presents permission issues and potentially other challenges.

How about using VS Code Settings sync? See https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/settings-sync, however, in this case it needs to set per user account. Hence, I believe #22 might be more appropriate in your case.

[rickyjames35]

Are you looking for a mechanism to opt out of extensions which gets added to the dev container (either by an image or Features)? Wondering if devcontainers/features#386 could be helpful in your case.

Not looking for a way to opt out. I'm looking for a way to automatically install user specific extensions into a devcontainer.

How about using VS Code Settings sync?

I believe this will just sync the settings for extensions, it won't actually install the extensions into the container.

[bamurtaugh]

Settings Sync should bring your extensions to new devices! Please let us know if that's not what you're observing.

[rickyjames35]

Actually this is what I was looking for thanks
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/devcontainers/containers#_always-installed-extensions