Microsoft has open sourced Java debugger for Visual Studio Code aka VS Code. The code for the Java debugger is now available in open source format. It is to be noted that the VS Code provides support for TypeScript, JavaScript including Node.js.
The editor also includes a wide range of extensions, which provides support for several programming languages such as C#, C++, Java, PHP, and Python. To recall, Red Hat released an extension for VS Code with Java support. As of September 2017, nearly million people have downloaded the extension, which is an increase of 1.6 million in just one month.
Meanwhile, the Redmond-based software giant recently announced that they are gearing up to release a Java debugger including a Java extension pack that brings all extensions under a single umbrella.
Commenting on the development, Xiaokai He, Program Manager, Java Tools and Services, Microsoft disclosed that the debugger has become the most trending extension of the month with over 125,000 downloads. Hence, they have open sourced not only the Java Debugger Extension but also the backend Java Debug Server and are available on GitHub.
According to He, the main aim of the VS Code team is to create a productive tool suitable for both new, intermediate and advanced Java developers.Going forward, Microsoft is gearing up to release VS Code Java extensions for JUnit. It makes sense to open source the Java extensions since VS Code is itself open source. The Java debugger, meanwhile, depends on the Eclipse JDT Language Server.
He said that Microsoft product team worked in close relationship with Red Hat to open source the Java debugger for VS Code. It also created a lot of excitement among the community in a bid to learn new things surrounding the VS Code debugging.