How do you do anything at all?

[just-ero]

Hi,

I have a hard time finding absolutely any documentation that explains how to create a language server extension. I'm aware of the quirky little "tutorial" explaining what language servers are. But it does not, whatsoever, help me get started on implementing my own; the methods to use are not thoroughly explained, the repo architecture is not explained, I don't know what files, dependencies, and extensions are necessary, I do not know where and how to register allowed syntax and what diagnostics to report. The list is genuinely endless.

So, how do you create a language server extension? At all?
I'm getting a bit frustrated with trying to figure things out. None of the samples or other implementations make sense to me and look absolutely bonkers over-complicated.

I want to create a language server along with a preview window for GitHub issue templates. I can't imagine it can possibly be more complicated than validating the user's file against some YAML schema.

[tamuratak]

You can refer to samples:

• https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-extension-samples/tree/main/lsp-sample
• https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-extension-samples/tree/main

[just-ero]

Thanks for the reply.

The lsp-sample you linked has little to no explanations. Where do I provide the allowed grammar, the tokens, the suggestions, the diagnostics? How do I actually analyze the user's input? Provide snippets? Reference previous tokens across the file?

Please provide more information if you can.

[olguzzar]

Hi @just-ero, have you seen the corresponding docs for the above linked samples? The programmatic language features docs also have some information relevant to your asks.

For your initial question of not being sure how to even get started, you can do the initial step of getting started by selecting "New Language Support" when creating your extension through the extension generator.

Let us know what other specifics questions you have after reading through some of that documentation.

[robconery]

@just-ero Did @olguzzar's answer help? If so please mark :). If not - what else can we do to help?