Run ts-node in VSCode Debugger

launch.json

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Example",
      "type": "node",
      "request": "launch",
      "runtimeExecutable": "node",
      "runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node/register/transpile-only"],

      "args": ["src/script.ts", "--example", "hello"],
      
      "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
      "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
      "skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**", "node_modules/**"]
    }
  ]
}

Hi everyone! How to deal with typescript paths? It does not recognize imports that are described in tsconfig.json Tried to use NPM package to register paths, but it does not work.

"args": ["${workspaceFolder}/cli/index.ts", "-r", "tsconfig-paths/register"],

"runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node/register", "-r", "tsconfig-paths/register"],

I am having a strange problem with breakpoints. The debugger never stops at selected breakpoints no matter what. Anyone know how to fix this ?

Any ideas how to get this working with ts-node-dev??

launch.json

{
	// Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
	// Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
	// For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
	"version": "0.2.0",
	"configurations": [
		{
			"name": "Debug ts-node-dev",
			"type": "pwa-node",
			"request": "launch",
			"runtimeExecutable": "node",
			"runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node-dev/register/transpile-only"],

			"args": ["src/app.ts"],

			"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
			"internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
			"skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**", "node_modules/**"]
		}
	]
}

Error

Process exited with code 1
/usr/local/bin/node --nolazy -r ts-node-dev/register/transpile-only src/app.ts
Uncaught Error: Cannot find module 'ts-node-dev/register/transpile-only'

your launch config

{ "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "RUN attach to DEV", "type": "pwa-node", "port": 4000, "request": "attach", "trace": true, "skipFiles": [ "<node_internals>/**" ], "restart": true, // "program": "${workspaceFolder}\\index.ts", // "postDebugTask": "npm: clean" }, ...

npm script

"dev": "tsnd --files --transpile-only --respawn --inspect=4000 --project dev.tsconfig.json index.ts node-dev",

This is great, thx!!
In my case though there's still a pending issue: How to add non-global nodemon into the mix.

@ArnieGA It took me a while to figure out, so thought I would post it here: https://gist.github.com/ehaynes99/4218666a38984d1c3d544076b49d9439

This uses ts-node to debug, with or without nodemon, without having to install anything.

@ArnieGA It took me a while to figure out, so thought I would post it here: https://gist.github.com/ehaynes99/4218666a38984d1c3d544076b49d9439

This uses ts-node to debug, with or without nodemon, without having to install anything.

Sorry, this didn't work on my end. My repo contains projects that implement typescript references + paths and those weren't picked up using your method. But that's ok, I went back to the combination that worked for me, which is using a nodemonConfig key plus the start script to achieve what I needed (which does require nodemon to be installed, locally):

node-project/package.json

"nodemonConfig": {
    "exec": "node -r tsconfig-paths/register -r ts-node/register",
    "ext": "ts",
    "ignore": [
        ".git",
        "node_modules"
    ],
    "watch": [
        "./src",
        "../repo-project-1/models",
        "../repo-project-2/src"
    ]
},
"start": "env-cmd -f ./.env.development nodemon src/main.ts"

.vscode/launch.json

{
  "type": "node",
  "request": "launch",
  "name": "Node Project",
  "skipFiles": [
    "<node_internals>/**",
    "node_modules/**"
  ],
  "runtimeExecutable": "npm",
  "runtimeArgs": [
    "start"
  ],
  "outputCapture": "std",
  "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/node-project",
  "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
  "stopOnEntry": false,
  "preLaunchTask": "Start Mongo Server",
  "postDebugTask": "Terminate Tasks"
}

This method allowed me to use typescript references + paths, and the ability to pick how to start the project (via debugger or terminal).

thanks!!

I'm getting "unknown file extension" for file "main.ts"

@mrjbj This happens if you're working with an ES Module (a project with a "type": "module" in its package.json-file).
You can find the arguments required for using ESModules in ts-nodes README: https://github.com/TypeStrong/ts-node/tree/8b09d49b26c1c25e34133b857c073729dd691f11#node-flags-and-other-tools

tl;dr-version

For running ESModules using ts-node you might want to use a task-configuration looking like this:

{
    "type": "node",
    "request": "launch",
    "name": "Launch ESModule TypeScript File",
    "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
    "runtimeArgs": [
        "--loader",
        "ts-node/esm"
    ],
    "program": "{ Path to Your `.ts` File}"
}

For me it worked after removing /transpile-only from this line

"runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node/register/transpile-only"],

This (https://gist.github.com/cecilemuller/2963155d0f249c1544289b78a1cdd695?permalink_comment_id=4268529#gistcomment-4268529) got me on the right path, but I needed to add "--experimental-specifier-resolution=node", which I realized after remembering i use nodemon like this in my package.json: "npx nodemon --esm --experimentalSpecifierResolution node ./src/index.ts" (note that the camelCase version didn't work, and needed to use the hypenated one experimental-specifier-resolution=node) in order to work with ESM

 "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "node",
      "request": "launch",
      "name": "Launch Server",
      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
      "runtimeArgs": [
        "--loader",
        "ts-node/esm",
        "--experimental-specifier-resolution=node"
      ],
      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/src/index.ts"
    }

Hope this helps someone 🍻

{
"command": "npm start",
"name": "Run npm start",
"request": "launch",
"type": "node-terminal"
}

thanks! :))

thanks!
my config (I use ts-node bin script):

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "node",
      "request": "launch",
      "name": "Launch Program",
      "skipFiles": [
        "<node_internals>/**",
        "node_modules/**",
      ],
      "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
      "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
      "env": {
        "LOCAL_MODE": "true",
      },
      "args": [
        "node_modules/ts-node/dist/bin.js",
        "-r",
        "tsconfig-paths/register",
        "src/index.ts",
      ],
      "runtimeArgs": [
        "--unhandled-rejections=strict",
        "--nolazy",
      ],
    }
  ]
}

I have literally wasted two evenings trying to get my typescript running under VSCode (even though it runs fine using ts-node) - I was just about to throw in the towel and spend the rest of the evening screaming at the moon...

Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

thanks a lot!

@maximLyakhov
👍

It actually worked without any problems from first try. Awesome!! 👍

node-ter

You saved my life! thx!

ok

I've had the following config working forever without issue, but after upgrading to typescript 5 and apollo server 4, all of the sudden it doesn't like it anymore...

{ "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "Server", "type": "node", "request": "launch", "runtimeExecutable": "node", "runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node/register/transpile-only"], "resolveSourceMapLocations": ["${workspaceFolder}/**", "!**/node_modules/**"], "args": ["src/index.ts"], "env": { "NODE_ENV": "local" }, "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}", "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart", "skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**", "node_modules/**"] } ] }

I end up getting this, which looks like it's not skipping the node_modules like it should
/node_modules/@apollo/server/dist/cjs/ApolloServer.js:70 const nodeEnv = config.nodeEnv ?? process.env.NODE_ENV ?? '';

Anyone else seen anything like this?

Thank you very much. I used your config to be able to debug typescript in neovim using dap.

no type checking and need to use tsconfig-paths to resolve paths

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "node",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Launch Program",
            "runtimeArgs": ["-r", "ts-node/register/transpile-only", "-r", "tsconfig-paths/register"],
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/packages/lerna/src/cli.js",
            "args": ["version"],
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
        }
    ]
}

Error: Cannot find module 'ts-node/register/transpile-only'

fixed this by install ts-node locally

npm link ts-node

// or 

yarn add -D ts-node

@iulo thanks，u save my day.

Works perfectly for me

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "ts-node",
      "type": "node",
      "request": "launch",
      "args": ["${relativeFile}"],
      "runtimeArgs": ["-r", "ts-node/register"],
      "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
      "protocol": "inspector",
      "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart"
    }
  ]
}

Not all heroes wear capes! 😀

Thanks!
General purpose ts-node run opened file (using ${file}) whereas process-library is the base-folder of the ts app:

  // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
  // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
  // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
  // https://gist.github.com/cecilemuller/2963155d0f249c1544289b78a1cdd695
{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "ts-node",
      "type": "node",
      "request": "launch",
      "runtimeExecutable": "node",
      "runtimeArgs": ["--nolazy", "-r", "ts-node/register/transpile-only"],

      "args": ["${file}"],
      
      "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}/process-library",
      "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
      "skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**", "node_modules/**"]
    }
    
  ]
}

Wow, I have never had a VS Code debug configuration work perfectly the first time I ran it. Thanks a bunch

Unfortunately, this does not work with "console": "internalTerminal", I'm getting Cannot find module ts-node/register/transpile-only. (ts-node is installed locally as a dev dependency - I tried everything, deleting node_modules, restarting..).

With "console": "externalTerminal" it seems to work.

Any idea why this has to do with the "console" setting?

Does anyone knows how to make it work with yarn pnp? I keep getting error that Uncaught Error Error: Cannot find module 'ts-node/register' despite that ts-node installed in my package