npm extension activates in web despite declaring virtualWorkspaces: false

[joyceerhl]

1. Open https://insiders.vscode.dev/github/microsoft/vscode and trust the workspace
2. Go to Show Running Extensions from the extensions pane
3. 🐛 See that npm extension is activated even though it declares virtualWorkspaces: false in its package.json, which should disable it in all virtual workspaces

[sandy081]

Virtual workspace check is only considered in Desktop. In web all extensions those are web enabled are enabled irrespective of virtual workspace.

[joyceerhl]

In web all extensions those are web enabled are enabled irrespective of virtual workspace.

Can I ask why this is the case? The npm extension activates eagerly due to workspaceContains:package.json when opening a repository containing a package.json file (e.g. extensions). I don't need this extension and today would need to manually disable it.

[sandy081]

Virtual workspace support is only for desktop clients. In web all workspaces are virtual.

CC @aeschli

[aeschli]

@sandy081 is right, and I agree it's a bit confusing.
The npm extension has a browser main entry point where it contributes code completions and hovers for the dependencies in package.json. It uses online services for that, so it also works with virtual workspaces.
That said, it should not say virtualWorkspaces: false but instead just disable the functionality that doesn't work when in a virtual workspace.

[aeschli]

What do we want to change?

• that virtualWorkspaces: false is observed in the web
• that the npm extension does not declare virtualWorkspaces: false ?

[joyceerhl]

I would propose the following changes:

1. npm extension does not declare virtualWorkspaces: false
2. Additionally, can we make the npm extension activate less eagerly i.e. not on workspaceContains:package.json? Today the npm extension activates whenever we open a VS Code extension repo for e.g., which seems unnecessary. Maybe we could instead activate when a package.json file is opened? (I don't believe we have an activation event for this but perhaps we could introduce one?)

[aeschli]

workspaceContains:package.json is currently needed to set the npm:showScriptExplorer context variable that is used to enable/disable the npm explorer. @alexr00

[alexr00]

I don't think we have a work around for the npm:showScriptExplorer context value, so we need to keep the activation as is. @meganrogge