Test pre-release extensions as an Extension author

[sandy081]

Ref #15756

• Mac @JacksonKearl
• Win @weinand
• Linux @roblourens

Complexity: 5

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As an extension author you can support pre releases for your extension.

Extension authoring guide

Please read following before starting testing

Note 1: You can only use major.minor.patch for extension version. pre-release tags are not supported.
Note 2: Recommended to use major.EVEN_NUMBER.patch for release versions and major.ODD_NUMBER.patch for pre-release versions. Eg: 0.2.* for release and 0.3.* for pre-release.
Note 3: Please wait at least for ~10 minutes after publishing your extension for VS Code to pick it.
Note 4: Pre-release versions are given preference only if they are newer than the newest released version. So, please make sure to have a pre-release version newer than newest released version for testing pre-release versions.

Please test following:

• Using latest vsce you can publish a pre-release version using --pre-release flag. Eg: vsce publish --pre-release

• Pre-release extension version is supported only when vscode.engine value in package.json is >= 1.63.0.

• Publish some release versions and some pre-release versions.

• Open VS Code insiders and browse for your extension

  • Test the representation of your extension in extension view, hover and extension editor. Pre-release bookmark, badge & indicator are used to represent that extension has a pre-release or is pre-release.
  • Test that the primary action to install your extension is to install the pre-release and the secondary action is to install the release version. Test these actions are working as expected.

• Test Updating

  • Publish a newer version of release/pre-release version of your extension
  • If you had installed pre-release version before, VS Code updates to the newest version (can be release/pre-release)
  • If you had installed release version, VS Code updates to the newest release version.

• Make sure that pre-release versions cannot be installed in current VS Code stable

[isidorn]

@JacksonKearl @alexdima @roblourens if you have any questions or if something is not clear from the test plan item please reach out to me. Thanks.

[JacksonKearl]

The linked Extension Authoring Guide doesn't seem to include information on pre-release publishing, is that documented somewhere?

[roblourens]

Awesome, can't wait to adopt it for SSH

[sandy081]

@JacksonKearl Documentation of the feature is pending yet, we will add all information once testing is done. Thanks for reminding

[weinand]

Very cool feature!

Now we can support a pre-release version of Mock Debug (which uses a pre-release version of the Debug Adapter Protocol):

[isidorn]

Great use case!

[isidorn]

I wrote a first version of the docs for extension authors
https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-docs/blob/vnext/api/working-with-extensions/publishing-extension.md#pre-release-extensions
Feedback welcome. Especially interested in parts that might have been confusing for extension authors.