nestjs-doctorVS Code Extension
Get inline diagnostics from nestjs-doctor directly in your editor — same 40 rules, zero friction.
Installation
- Install NestJS Doctor from the VS Code Marketplace.
- Add
nestjs-doctoras a dev dependency in your project:
npm install -D nestjs-doctor
The extension's LSP server loads nestjs-doctor from your workspace node_modules, so the dev dependency is required.
How It Works
The extension activates automatically when your workspace contains @nestjs/core in node_modules or when you open a TypeScript file. It starts a Language Server (LSP) that runs nestjs-doctor's analysis in the background using the incremental scanning API.
Diagnostics appear inline in the editor and in the Problems panel, just like TypeScript or ESLint errors. The status bar shows a summary indicator while scanning.
Features
- Inline diagnostics — warnings and errors are underlined in the editor with hover details
- Problems panel — all diagnostics are listed in VS Code's Problems panel for quick navigation
- Status bar — shows scan progress and a summary of findings
- Scan on save — files are re-scanned automatically when you save, with a configurable debounce
- Scan on open — runs a full scan when the workspace opens
- Manual scan — trigger a full project scan from the command palette
Configuration
All settings are under the nestjsDoctor namespace in VS Code settings.
| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
nestjsDoctor.enable | boolean | true | Enable or disable NestJS Doctor analysis entirely |
nestjsDoctor.scanOnSave | boolean | true | Re-scan the saved file automatically |
nestjsDoctor.scanOnOpen | boolean | true | Run a full scan when the workspace opens |
nestjsDoctor.debounceMs | number | 2000 | Debounce delay in milliseconds before re-scanning after save |
You can set these in your VS Code settings.json:
{
"nestjsDoctor.enable": true,
"nestjsDoctor.scanOnSave": true,
"nestjsDoctor.scanOnOpen": true,
"nestjsDoctor.debounceMs": 2000
}
The extension also respects your project's nestjs-doctor.config.json for rule configuration, ignore patterns, and custom rules. See Configuration for details.
Commands
| Command | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NestJS Doctor: Scan Project | nestjs-doctor.scan | Manually trigger a full project scan |
Open the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for "NestJS Doctor" to find available commands.
Troubleshooting
Extension not activating
The extension activates when it detects @nestjs/core in your workspace node_modules. Make sure you've installed your project dependencies:
npm install
No diagnostics appearing
The LSP server requires nestjs-doctor to be installed as a dev dependency in your workspace. If it's missing, the server can't load the analysis engine:
npm install -D nestjs-doctor
Diagnostics are stale
If diagnostics seem outdated, run NestJS Doctor: Scan Project from the command palette to force a fresh scan. You can also try reloading the VS Code window (Developer: Reload Window).
Conflicting with CLI config
The extension uses the same nestjs-doctor.config.json as the CLI. If you've disabled rules or categories in your config, those rules won't produce diagnostics in the editor either. See Configuration.