It is feasible and easy to debug remote applications using VS Code. The key is to connect local VS Code to the remote environment for remote editing and debugging. 1. Install Remote - SSH extension and connect to the remote host through SSH; 2. Start the debug mode of the application on the remote side and open the corresponding port; 3. Configure the launch.json file to set debug parameters such as type, port and path; 4. Set breakpoints in VS Code and debug the application normally. The entire process is smooth and efficient, suitable for debugging applications running in remote environments.

Debugging remote applications with VS Code is totally doable and not as complicated as it might sound. The key idea is to connect your local VS Code instance to a remote environment—like a server or container—so you can edit and debug code directly on that remote system, while still working from the comfort of your local machine.

Here's how to actually pull it off.

1. Set Up Remote Development in VS Code

Before debugging, you need to be connected to the remote environment. VS Code has an official extension called Remote - SSH (and others like Remote - Containers or Remote - WSL) that makes this easy.

• Install the Remote - SSH extension from the Extensions panel.
• Once installed, you'll see a new icon in the bottom-left corner of VS Code (looks like two computer screens connected by a plug).
• Click that icon and choose "Connect to Host..." , then enter the SSH address, username, and password or private key for the remote server.

After connecting, VS Code will open a new window pointing to the remote file system. From here, you're essentially working on the remote machine.

2. Prepare Your Application for Debugging

Different languages ??require different setups, but the general idea is the same: make sure your app runs in debug mode and listens on the correct port.

For example:

• Node.js : Start your app with node --inspect-brk -r ts-node/register ./src/index.ts if using TypeScript.
• Python : Use python -m debugpy --listen 5678 --wait-for-client app.py to launch in debug mode.
• Other languages ??: Check documentation for their debugger equivalents.

Make sure the port used for debugging (like 5678 or 9229) is open and accessible on the remote machine. You may also need to configure firewall rules or cloud instance settings to allow traffic on that port.

3. Configure launch.json for Remote Debugging

Once you're connected to the remote machine and have your app running in debug mode, set up your debugging configuration locally.

• In VS Code, go to the Run and Debug sidebar ( Ctrl Shift D or click the bug icon).
• Create a launch.json file if you don't already have one.
• Add a new configuration that matches your runtime. Here's a basic Node.js example:

 {
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "node",
      "request": "attach",
      "name": "Attach to Remote Node",
      "runtimeExecutable": "nodemon",
      "restart": true,
      "console": "integratedTerminal",
      "internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
      "remoteRoot": "/home/your-user/path-to-app"
    }
  ]
}

If you're using Python, use "type": "python" and specify the host and port:

 {
  "name": "Python: Attach",
  "type": "python",
  "request": "attach",
  "host": "localhost",
  "port": 5678
}

Make sure the paths match what's on the remote machine. Also, double-check that the port number matches what your app is listening on.

4. Start Debugging Like Normal

Once everything is configured:

• Set breakpoints in your code by clicking the left margin next to line numbers.
• Trigger the part of your app that hits those lines (eg, send an API request or run a command).
• VS Code should pause execution at your breakpoints, letting you inspect variables, step through code, etc.

A few tips:

• Use the integrated terminal inside VS Code to manage your app processes.
• If things get stuck, restart the debugging session or kill/restart the process on the remote side.
• Make sure only one debugger is attached at a time to avoid conflicts.

This setup works surprisingly well once it's all lined up. It's especially handy for debugging apps running in staging or production-like environments without having to replicate everything locally.

Basically that's it.

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