Allow third party extension points to be marked with isDynamic

[mjbvz]

Follow up on #66574

Request
Add a declarative API to mark a third party extension point as dynamic. This is needed by the markdown extension (#67574) and TypeScript extensions (#67575) which have custom extension points. I am doing work this iteration to make sure these extensions properly respond to extension changes

[mjbvz]

I propose a new contributionPoints section for contributes:

{
  "contributes": {
    "contributionPoints": [
      {
        "name": "markdown.previewStyles",
        "isDynamic": true
      }
    ]
  }
}

[sandy081]

I think you can also give the schema of your contribution point which can be added to contributes section.

[mjbvz]

@sandy081 We've used this trick to define schema contributions but it would be good to standardize things: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/37fbae08a4391ec3078c35772ddd33dc3d4fa62f/extensions/typescript-language-features/schemas/package.schema.json

[alexdima]

After discussing this in the stand-up, starting with next stable all 3rd party extension points will be implicitly considered dynamic.

@sandy081 , you had a great analysis on this, can you please share the numbers here.

[sandy081]

I have done extensions analysis to know how many extensions are using external contribution points because of which they require reload when installed. Attaching the results from top 1000 extensions

Top 1000 Extensions

1. ms-python.python (yamlValidation)
2. vscjava.vscode-java-test (javaExtensions)
3. vscjava.vscode-java-debug (javaExtensions)
4. redhat.vscode-yaml (yamlValidation)
5. ms-mssql.mssql (outputChannels)
6. yzhang.markdown-all-in-one (markdown.markdownItPlugins, markdown.previewStyles)
7. magicstack.MagicPython (//)
8. Ionide.Ionide-fsharp (outputChannels)
9. jebbs.plantuml (markdown.markdownItPlugins)
10. vscjava.vscode-java-dependency (javaExtensions)
11. VisualStudioExptTeam.vscodeintellicode (typescriptServerPlugins, javaExtensions)
12. vector-of-bool.cmake-tools (yamlValidation)
13. jpoissonnier.vscode-styled-components (typescriptServerPlugins)
14. Pivotal.vscode-spring-boot (javaExtensions)
15. sbrink.elm (outputChannels)
16. goessner.mdmath (markdown.previewStyles, markdown.markdownItPlugins)
17. joaompinto.asciidoctor-vscode (asciidoc.previewStylesEditor, asciidoc.previewStylesDefault, asciidoc.previewScripts)
18. bierner.markdown-preview-github-styles (markdown.previewStyles)
19. ms-vscode.notepadplusplus-keybindings (activationEvents)
20. Ionide.Ionide-Paket (outputChannels)
21. kangping.luaide (luaideConfig)
22. bierner.lit-html (typescriptServerPlugins)
23. ms-vscode.vscode-typescript-tslint-plugin (typescriptServerPlugins)
24. cake-build.cake-vscode (outputChannels)
25. asvetliakov.snapshot-tools (typescriptServerPlugins)
26. AureliaEffect.aurelia (folding)
27. vstirbu.vscode-mermaid-preview (markdown.previewScripts, markdown.markdownItPlugins)
28. bierner.markdown-mermaid (markdown.previewScripts, markdown.markdownItPlugins)
29. Prisma.vscode-graphql (typescriptServerPlugins)
30. dgileadi.java-decompiler (javaExtensions)
31. Ionide.Ionide-FAKE (outputChannels)
32. docsmsft.docs-markdown (yamlValidation)
33. JaimeOlivares.yuml (markdown.markdownItPlugins)
34. mermade.openapi-lint (yamlValidation)
35. manuth.markdown-converter (markdown.markdownItPlugins)

Markdown (8)

1. yzhang.markdown-all-in-one
2. jebbs.plantuml
3. goessner.mdmath
4. bierner.markdown-preview-github-styles
5. vstirbu.vscode-mermaid-preview
6. bierner.markdown-mermaid
7. JaimeOlivares.yuml
8. manuth.markdown-converter

Typescript (6)

1. VisualStudioExptTeam.vscodeintellicode
2. jpoissonnier.vscode-styled-components
3. bierner.lit-html
4. ms-vscode.vscode-typescript-tslint-plugin
5. asvetliakov.snapshot-tools
6. Prisma.vscode-graphql

Others

• yamlValidation (5)
• javaExtensions (6)
• outputChannels (6)
• // (1)
• asciidoc.previewStylesEditor (1)
• asciidoc.previewStylesDefault (1)
• asciidoc.previewScripts (1)
• activationEvents (1)
• luaideConfig (1)
• folding (1)

Overall in the Marketplace(~10000) there are 140 extensions require reload out of which

• 42 depends on Markdown contribution points
• 20 depends on Typescript contribution point
• 20 depends on Yaml & Java contribution points

[sandy081]

@alexandrudima I see the need for this new contribution point because there could be extensions whose extension points might not be dynamic (just like language pack contributions)

So we can by default consider the external contribution points to be dynamic unless they tag them not.

What do you think?

[alexdima]

@sandy081 I would really like to avoid adding anything to package.json unless there is a clear necessity. IMHO we should reach to the owners of these extension points if we know them, and let them know that starting with next stable extensions are dynamic and ... that's it.

In other words, I suggest we don't support non-dynamic 3rd party extension points starting with next stable.

[sandy081]

Makes sense with the strategy to wait for the users.

@mjbvz Does the typescript plugin extension point is dynamic, it means can it be loaded without reloading VS Code when the new plugin is added?

[mjbvz]

Yes, the markdown and typescript extension points are now dynamic

[sandy081]

Closing this as this feature is not needed anymore.

[alexdima]

👍 I've created #68603 to remember to remove the code entirely.