Go extension conditionally register explorer view based on workspace (go project)

[SoCuul]

What version of Go, VS Code & VS Code Go extension are you using?

Version Information

• Run go version to get version of Go from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • go version go1.23.3 darwin/arm64
• Run gopls -v version to get version of Gopls from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • golang.org/x/tools/gopls v0.16.2
• Run code -v or code-insiders -v to get version of VS Code or VS Code Insiders.
  • 1.95.3
    f1a4fb101478ce6ec82fe9627c43efbf9e98c813
    arm64
• Check your installed extensions to get the version of the VS Code Go extension
  • v0.42.1
• Run Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac OS) > Go: Locate Configured Go Tools command.

  • Tools Configuration

Environment

GOBIN: undefined
toolsGopath:
gopath: /Users/daniel/go
GOROOT: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.23.3/libexec
PATH: /usr/local/opt/make/libexec/gnubin:/Users/daniel/.rbenv/shims:/Users/daniel/Library/pnpm:/Users/daniel/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/opt/X11/bin:/Library/Apple/usr/bin:/Applications/Wireshark.app/Contents/MacOS:/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Public:/usr/local/share/dotnet:~/.dotnet/tools:/usr/local/go/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/Versions/Current/Commands:/Users/daniel/.orbstack/bin:/Users/daniel/bin:/Users/daniel/Library/Python/3.11/bin:/Users/daniel/Library/Python/3.12/bin:/Users/daniel/scripts:/Users/daniel/.spicetify:/bin:/Users/daniel/go/bin:/Users/daniel/Library/Android/sdk/tools/bin:/Users/daniel/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools:/Users/daniel/Library/Android/sdk/emulator

Tools

go:	/opt/homebrew/bin/go: go version go1.23.3 darwin/arm64

gopls:	/Users/daniel/go/bin/gopls	(version: v0.16.2 built with go: go1.23.0)
gotests:	not installed
gomodifytags:	not installed
impl:	not installed
goplay:	not installed
dlv:	/Users/daniel/go/bin/dlv	(version: v1.23.0 built with go: go1.23.0)
staticcheck:	/Users/daniel/go/bin/staticcheck	(version: v0.5.1 built with go: go1.23.0)

Go env

Workspace Folder (test): /Users/daniel/test

GO111MODULE=''
GOARCH='arm64'
GOBIN=''
GOCACHE='/Users/daniel/Library/Caches/go-build'
GOENV='/Users/daniel/Library/Application Support/go/env'
GOEXE=''
GOEXPERIMENT=''
GOFLAGS=''
GOHOSTARCH='arm64'
GOHOSTOS='darwin'
GOINSECURE=''
GOMODCACHE='/Users/daniel/go/pkg/mod'
GONOPROXY=''
GONOSUMDB=''
GOOS='darwin'
GOPATH='/Users/daniel/go'
GOPRIVATE=''
GOPROXY='https://proxy.golang.org,direct'
GOROOT='/opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.23.3/libexec'
GOSUMDB='sum.golang.org'
GOTMPDIR=''
GOTOOLCHAIN='local'
GOTOOLDIR='/opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.23.3/libexec/pkg/tool/darwin_arm64'
GOVCS=''
GOVERSION='go1.23.3'
GODEBUG=''
GOTELEMETRY='local'
GOTELEMETRYDIR='/Users/daniel/Library/Application Support/go/telemetry'
GCCGO='gccgo'
GOARM64='v8.0'
AR='ar'
CC='cc'
CXX='c++'
CGO_ENABLED='1'
GOMOD='/dev/null'
GOWORK=''
CGO_CFLAGS='-O2 -g'
CGO_CPPFLAGS=''
CGO_CXXFLAGS='-O2 -g'
CGO_FFLAGS='-O2 -g'
CGO_LDFLAGS='-O2 -g'
PKG_CONFIG='pkg-config'
GOGCCFLAGS='-fPIC -arch arm64 -pthread -fno-caret-diagnostics -Qunused-arguments -fmessage-length=0 -ffile-prefix-map=/var/folders/d9/cs2_nnvj1f7_mqlzxtqg5tm80000gn/T/go-build4131895757=/tmp/go-build -gno-record-gcc-switches -fno-common'

Share the Go related settings you have added/edited

{
    "go.tasks.provideDefault": false,
    "go.showWelcome": false,
    "go.survey.prompt": false,
    "go.terminal.activateEnvironment": false
}

Describe the bug

When I run Tasks: Configure Default Build Task from the command palette, the go view gets added to the explorer window within vscode. This happens instantly (without clicking any option after the configure command), with the go task provider disabled, and will not disappear until you refresh the window.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Open the command palette
2. Run the Tasks: Configure Default Build Task built-in command
3. The go extension view will appear in the explorer window

Screenshots or recordings

[h9jiang]

Hi SoCuul, I was able to see what you are observing in your uploaded screenshots. I can answer some of your questions based on the code written in vscode-go.

In VSCode-Go Extension's entry point, goMain.ts, we call ExplorerProvider.Setup(). This function will create the go extension view will appear in the explorer window. This means, the go extension must be initializing when you execute Tasks: Configure Default Build Task.

By taking another look of your screenshot and my local repro, when you execute the task Tasks: Configure Default Build Task, the bottom left have some notification. (It disappears very shortly) But the notification is Activating Extensions.

My best guess would be, VSCode think it's necessary to activate all the extensions to finish Tasks: Configure Default Build Task. So when you hit enter, extensions are being initialized. Before you select which task you want to configure, the initialization is already done.

Further, if you go to the output, you can see some log from task. And vscode-go is definitely a task provider see vscode-go wiki.

I found a similar issue from vscode side see issue

Is there any concern of activating vscode-go when configuring the task?

cc @hyangah

[SoCuul]

Currently, it mostly is just visual clutter on-screen. It will show the go explorer window when I'm not working on go projects, but if I toggle it off I won't see it when I actually am.