VSCode

Avoid common VSCode mistakes — settings conflicts, debugger setup, and extension clashes.

Security Scan

This is an instruction-only helper that gives VS Code configuration and troubleshooting advice; its requirements and instructions align with the stated purpose and it does not request credentials or install code.

Purpose & Capability

The skill name and description (avoiding VSCode mistakes) match the SKILL.md content, which focuses on settings.json, launch.json, extensions, terminal, remote development, and common fixes. No unrelated credentials, binaries, or installs are requested. Note: the skill source/homepage are missing, so provenance is unknown even though the content is coherent.

Instruction Scope

Runtime instructions are purely guidance about VS Code config files and workflows (.vscode/settings.json, launch.json, .devcontainer, ~/.ssh/config, etc.). These file and path references are appropriate for the stated purpose and do not instruct broad or unexpected data collection or exfiltration. The guidance does mention editing local config files (expected for this purpose) but does not contain commands that would autonomously run or transmit data.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files are present. Because this is instruction-only, nothing will be written to disk or downloaded by the skill itself.

Credentials

The skill requires no environment variables, credentials, or external service access. References to local config paths (e.g., ~/.ssh/config) are consistent with the remote-development troubleshooting scope and do not constitute unexplained credential requests.

Persistence & Privilege

The skill is not marked 'always' and uses the platform defaults (user-invocable, model invocation enabled). That is appropriate for an on-demand helper; it does not request elevated or persistent privileges or modify other skills.

Assessment

This skill is essentially a written checklist for VS Code and appears coherent and low-risk: it asks for nothing, installs nothing, and only references files and settings that are appropriate for IDE troubleshooting. Two practical cautions: (1) the skill’s source/homepage is unknown—if provenance matters to you, prefer skills with identifiable authors or links; (2) while the skill itself won’t execute changes, an agent using it could suggest editing your local config files—always review and approve any file edits or commands before applying them, and avoid pasting secrets into settings or uploading private config files.

Settings Precedence

• User → Workspace → Folder — later overrides earlier
• .vscode/settings.json per project — overrides user settings
• "editor.formatOnSave" in workspace overrides user — can be confusing
• Multi-root workspaces need per-folder settings — or root .code-workspace file
• Some settings only work in user — "terminal.integrated.shell" is user-only

Formatter Conflicts

• Multiple formatters for same language — set "[language]": {"editor.defaultFormatter": "id"}
• Prettier vs ESLint both formatting — disable one: "prettier.enable": false in ESLint projects
• Format on save runs wrong formatter — explicit defaultFormatter required
• .editorconfig overrides some settings — can conflict with extension settings

Debugger Setup

• launch.json needed for most debugging — can't just press F5
• "cwd" relative to workspace root — not launch.json location
• "program" path wrong — use ${workspaceFolder}/path/to/file
• Node.js: "skipFiles" to avoid stepping into node_modules
• Compound configurations for multi-process — "compounds" array in launch.json

Extensions

• Extension host crash — disable recently installed, enable one by one
• "Cannot find module" after install — restart VS Code completely
• Extension settings not applying — check if workspace setting overrides
• Conflicting extensions — keybinding conflicts, duplicate features

Terminal

• Wrong shell on new terminal — set "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.*"
• Environment variables missing — terminal inherits from launch method, not .bashrc
• Path not updated after install — restart VS Code, not just terminal
• Shell integration issues — "terminal.integrated.shellIntegration.enabled": false to disable

Remote Development

• SSH: ~/.ssh/config Host must match — "remote.SSH.configFile" to use different config
• Containers: .devcontainer/devcontainer.json required — won't auto-detect Dockerfile
• WSL: extensions install separately — WSL extensions stay in WSL
• Port forwarding: auto but not always — check Ports panel

Workspace Trust

• Restricted mode disables some features — debugging, tasks, some extensions
• Trust prompt on first open — "Trust Folder" to enable everything
• Per-folder trust in multi-root — can trust some folders, not others

Common Fixes

• IntelliSense not working — check language server status in Output panel
• "Cannot find module" in TypeScript — restart TS server: Cmd+Shift+P → "TypeScript: Restart TS Server"
• Git not detecting changes — check if inside subfolder, .git must be at root or configured
• Settings not saving — check write permissions on settings.json