Search results for specific language debugger are very unspecific

[digitarald]

Follow up from microsoft/vscode#119110, reviewing this with Java the search results are confusing.

Debugging a java file triggers the search for tag:debuggers @sort:installs Java:

😢 Java Pack, the recommended extension for java files, the important one is all the way down.

Even the ext:java search triggered by the language switcher isn't putting Java ext pack very high:

Trying different searches like tag:debuggers ext:java – doesn't seem to be a or search, as it shows Python first.

Potential solutions:

• Directly point users to a single extension if the current file type has an important recommendation
• Fix search to be smarter with combo searches like tag:debuggers ext:java

cc @fiveisprime

[connor4312]

I was just about to open this issue when verifying that feature. Ruby fares no better:

It seems like tag:debuggers is just ignored. None of the top results have a debug tag or any mentioned of debugging at all, yet somehow are prioritized over the extension that does.

[connor4312]

Oh, it looks like we should actually use @category:"debuggers" to do the filtering. Then it works.

[digitarald]

Sana in the linked issue pointed out that tag:debuggers Ruby does it, just removing the install sorting.

[RandomFractals]

it's the same across the board, no matter what you search for and really needs to be prioratized and fixed so we can find extensions in vs marketplace. Currently with over 27K extensions, unless you know exact ext. name it's almost impossible to find anything relevant there. See my other comment on that here: #71 (comment)

[mayankmaheshwari18]

@digitarald , The issue with search text as tag:debuggers @sort:installs Java works fine now. Debugger for Java comes on the top. We have fixed the issue where tags were not being considered as part of search.
We will look for the ext filter issue.

[isidorn]

@roblourens Since the tag issue is fixed maybe we should know search for tag here now. We were searching for categories as a workaround.
What do you think?

[roblourens]

What is the difference between categories and tags anyway, why would one give better results? Where are tags defined, I don't see them in package.json.

[isidorn]

@roblourens good question, and I do not know the exact answer.
I can guess that tags are derived from contributes fields. @sandy081 might know better
As for why one would give better results, @mayankmaheshwari18 can explain better.

[sandy081]

Tags are computed from Keywords from package.json. I think vsce also adds additional tags based on contributions. Categories are for grouping extensions.

[prashantvc]

Closing this issue, we have fixed the issue where tags were not being considered as part of search.
Filtering is different issue, that we will address separately

[RandomFractals]

This is great! I can confirm search by tags finally works. Tried with dataViz I've been using to tag my extensions: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/search?term=dataViz&target=VSCode&category=All%20categories&sortBy=Relevance

Thank you!