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Extension Marketplace

code-server uses Open VSX instead of the Microsoft Extension Marketplace.

Open VSX Registry

Open VSX is an open-source alternative to the Microsoft Extension Marketplace.

Why Not Microsoft Marketplace?

Microsoft's extension marketplace is proprietary and licensed exclusively to Microsoft VS Code. Open-source forks like code-server cannot use it due to licensing restrictions.

What's Available

Most popular extensions ARE available:

  • ✅ Python support (pyright, pylance alternatives)
  • ✅ Jupyter notebooks
  • ✅ Databricks
  • ✅ Git tools
  • ✅ Themes and icons
  • ✅ Language servers (TypeScript, Go, Rust, etc.)
  • ✅ Code formatters (Prettier, Black, etc.)
  • ✅ Linters (ESLint, Pylint, etc.)

Some Microsoft-proprietary extensions are NOT available:

  • ❌ ms-python.python (use alternatives)
  • ❌ C/C++ IntelliSense
  • ❌ Live Share
  • ❌ Remote Development extensions

Finding Extensions

Search Open VSX:

  1. Visit https://open-vsx.org/
  2. Search for extension
  3. Note the extension ID (e.g., ms-pyright.pyright)

In code-server:

  1. Click Extensions icon (Ctrl+Shift+X)
  2. Search for extension
  3. Click Install

Pre-configured Extensions

Databricks DevBox includes pre-configured extension groups:

Python Group

python:
  extensions:
    - "ms-python.python"       # Python language support
    - "ms-pyright.pyright"     # Type checking
  user_settings:
    "python.languageServer": "None"

Jupyter Group

jupyter:
  extensions:
    - "ms-toolsai.jupyter"
    - "ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers"
    - "ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap"

Databricks Group

databricks:
  extensions:
    - "databricks.databricks"
    - "databricks.sqltools-databricks-driver"

View full configuration →

Manual Installation

From Open VSX

# In code-server terminal
code-server --install-extension <publisher>.<extension>

# Example:
code-server --install-extension ms-pyright.pyright

From .vsix File

# Download .vsix file
# Install via command line
code-server --install-extension /path/to/extension.vsix

Common Extensions

Python Development

Extension ID Description
Pyright ms-pyright.pyright Type checking
Python ms-python.python Language support
Pylance ms-python.vscode-pylance Advanced IntelliSense

Data Science

Extension ID Description
Jupyter ms-toolsai.jupyter Notebook support
Jupyter Renderers ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers Output rendering

Databricks

Extension ID Description
Databricks databricks.databricks Databricks integration
SQL Tools databricks.sqltools-databricks-driver SQL support

General Development

Extension ID Description
GitLens eamodio.gitlens Git superpowers
Prettier esbenp.prettier-vscode Code formatter
ESLint dbaeumer.vscode-eslint JavaScript linting

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Found

Solution:

  1. Check Open VSX
  2. Try alternative extensions
  3. Manually install .vsix file

Extension Won't Install

Check logs:

# View code-server logs
tail -f ~/.local/share/code-server/logs/<date>/vscode.log

Common issues:

  • Network connectivity
  • Incompatible version
  • Missing dependencies

Extension Not Working

Possible causes:

  • Platform incompatibility (some extensions Windows/Mac only)
  • Missing native dependencies
  • Configuration issues

Solutions:

  • Check extension requirements
  • Review extension logs
  • Try alternative extension

Best Practices

1. Use Extension Groups

Pre-configured groups ensure consistency:

# In devbox.yaml
extension_groups:
  my-stack:
    name: "My Stack"
    extensions:
      - "ms-python.python"
      - "ms-toolsai.jupyter"
      - "databricks.databricks"

2. Pin Extension Versions

For production environments:

# Install specific version
code-server --install-extension publisher.extension@1.2.3

3. Test Extensions

Test in development before deploying to production.

Next Steps