feat: remove config.ts support and esbuild runtime packaging across repo #7895

joffeoja · 2025-09-22T10:57:17Z

Summary

This PR removes support for config.ts and all associated esbuild runtime packaging logic across the repository.

Per discussion in #4173, the only remaining reason for including esbuild in core was to compile config.ts. That feature was deprecated more than 6 months ago, so it is now fully removed.

Changes

Core

Removed logic for compiling and importing ~/.continue/config.ts from load.ts.
Added fail-fast detection: if a legacy config.ts is present, Continue will stop and instruct the user to migrate to config.yaml or config.json.
Dropped getTsConfigPath and other helpers in util/paths.ts.
Adjusted comments, error messages, and tests (ConfigHandler.vitest.ts).
Cleaned up core/package.json:
- Removed esbuild runtime dependency.
- Retained build-time plugins where still required (e.g. @sentry/esbuild-plugin).

Documentation

Updated configuration.mdx:
- Removed all references to config.ts.
- Clarified that YAML is now the recommended format.
- Noted that config.ts is fully removed as of 2025.

Motivation

Reduce maintenance overhead by removing esbuild from the runtime.
Align codebase with current supported configuration formats (config.yaml and config.json).
Make future dependency management and security scanning simpler.

Security

This PR removes any embedded esbuild runtime from our VSIX and core. That:

Eliminates scanner findings tied to older esbuild executables and their transitive Go stdlib CVEs, which motivated upstream discussion in esbuild#3802.
Avoids exposure to the dev server CORS issue (GHSA-67mh-4wv8-2f99) since we do not ship or run esbuild’s dev server in end-user artifacts.
Ensures esbuild is used only as a build-time tool, never packaged for end users.

Supersedes #7790, which attempted to mitigate by upgrading the embedded binary; this PR removes the runtime binary entirely.

Related Issue

Refs #4173

- remove logic for compiling and importing ~/.continue/config.ts - add fail-fast error if a legacy config.ts is detected - simplify loader to JSON/YAML only - skip one legacy test and adjust comments/strings refs continuedev#4173

- drop esbuild and @sentry/esbuild-plugin from core devDependencies - retypecheck and test after removal

… scaffolding - drop @esbuild hoist rule in .npmrc - remove esbuild from runtime dependencies (keep in devDeps for bundling) - strip esbuild download/copy and validation in prepackage scripts - remove getTsConfigPath import and config.ts scaffolding from activation

…ring build

…messaging

joffeoja · 2025-09-22T13:49:12Z

@Patrick-Erichsen: A first attempt to removing the bundled esbuild executable from the vscode extension. npm run package-all works fine locally but some tests in the ci pipeline still seem to fail. Please let me know your thoughts on the code. My time is somewhat limited even though I used an AI assisted approach here so feel free to rework the code as you see fit.

Patrick-Erichsen

So much confusing code removed with this 🙌 Changes all look great aside from a few nitpicks on additional cleanup

As to the failing tests, I would recommend trying to just pass the output to an LLM for a few attempts at bugfixing. At a glance it seems like the issue isn't related to actual config.ts logic in any of the tests but rather some build issues.

If that doesn't work though I'd be happy to take a stab at fixing some of the tests though.

core/config/ConfigHandler.vitest.ts

core/llm/llms/CustomLLM.ts

docs/customize/deep-dives/configuration.mdx

extensions/vscode/scripts/download-copy-sqlite.js

extensions/vscode/scripts/utils.js

Patrick-Erichsen · 2025-09-22T21:40:49Z

extensions/vscode/src/extension/VsCodeExtension.ts

+      void this.configHandler.reloadConfig(
+        "config.yaml updated - fs file watch",
+      );


This whole fn watcher is not necessary. Also getConfigTsPath should be removed.

I have removed the watcher but getConfigTsPath() is being used here for fail fast legacy config.ts detection. Would you like me to remove this as well?

…aths

…-sqlite.js

RomneyDa · 2025-09-24T23:59:05Z

@TyDunn let's talk about this one, might be other approaches to removing esbuild that don't remove config.ts support.

RomneyDa

@joffeoja this is great. Spoke with the team further about this and we're thinking let's remove esbuild module installation while still supporting config.ts by assuming users already have esbuild installed and showing them an error with instructions if they don't e.g. config.ts has been deprecated and esbuild is no longer automatically installed by Continue. To use config.ts, you can run npm i [email protected] in ~/.continue`. Sorry for the partial bait and switch on this

This would look like about half of this PR staying exactly the same and then the actual config loading left in place for now with that message if esbuild isn't found. I added some comments and let me know if you have any thoughts on this!

RomneyDa · 2025-09-25T23:55:48Z

extensions/vscode/scripts/prepackage-cross-platform.js

  await copyTreeSitterWasms();

-  // Copy tree-sitter tag query files
-  await copyTreeSitterTagQryFiles();


Are we sure we can remove tree sitter? Not config-ts related

RomneyDa · 2025-09-25T23:57:04Z

extensions/vscode/package.json

    "dbinfoz": "^0.14.0",
    "diff": "^7.0.0",
    "downshift": "^7.6.0",
-    "esbuild": "0.17.19",


I think this esbuild is used for local dev, not the same as the one used for config.ts. Does that make sense? Or is this just unused?

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:01:16Z

extensions/vscode/src/activation/activate.ts

  }

-  // Add necessary files
-  getTsConfigPath();


this one can stay so that legacy users just have to npm i esbuild rather than trying to set up some ts config

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:04:10Z

docs/customize/deep-dives/configuration.mdx

 }
 ```
-
-### How to Use `config.ts` for Advanced Configuration


Could replace with a little deprecation note including how to install esbuild to use existing config.ts files

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:04:38Z

core/package.json

    "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^8.40.0",
    "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^8.40.0",
    "cross-env": "^7.0.3",
-    "esbuild": "0.17.19",


I think these esbuild modules are separate from the ones copied for config.ts support? maybe not

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:07:37Z

core/config/ConfigHandler.vitest.ts

-import fs from "node:fs";
-import path from "node:path";
-
-import { describe, expect, test } from "vitest";


can leave this file

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:08:18Z

core/config/load.ts

can leave this file as is and add an ide message with instructions on how to install esbuild if it is not found

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:09:04Z

docs/customize/deep-dives/configuration.mdx

- [`config.json`](/reference) - The original configuration format which is stored in a file at the same location as `config.yaml`
- [`.continuerc.json`](#how-to-use-continuercjson-for-workspace-configuration) - Workspace-level configuration
- [`config.ts`](#how-to-use-configts-for-advanced-configuration) - Advanced configuration (probably unnecessary) - a TypeScript file in your home directory that can be used to programmatically modify (_merged_) the `config.json` schema:
-  - `~/.continue/config.ts` (MacOS / Linux)


can leave in place with deprecation notice

RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:09:40Z

extensions/vscode/scripts/utils.js

  console.log("[info] Downloading pre-built ripgrep binary");
  rimrafSync("node_modules/@vscode/ripgrep/bin");
  fs.mkdirSync("node_modules/@vscode/ripgrep/bin", { recursive: true });
-  4;


RomneyDa · 2025-09-26T00:10:16Z

extensions/vscode/scripts/utils.js

 }

-async function copyTreeSitterTagQryFiles() {
-  // ncp(


ah I see, it's empty

joffeoja · 2025-09-27T14:44:18Z

@RomneyDa & @Patrick-Erichsen: With these scope changes I think it's better to start over completely, not least for better readability when performing the code review... I'll leave this and the previous PR (#7790) for reference but to have a coherent changeset I feel I have start from scratch.

joffeoja added 3 commits September 22, 2025 11:31

chore(core): remove unused esbuild devDeps

07e27ae

- drop esbuild and @sentry/esbuild-plugin from core devDependencies - retypecheck and test after removal

docs: remove config.ts references after deprecation

3c13644

github-project-automation bot added this to Issues and PRs Sep 22, 2025

github-project-automation bot moved this to Todo in Issues and PRs Sep 22, 2025

joffeoja added 3 commits September 22, 2025 14:06

ci(vscode): remove forced esbuild reinstall; rely on devDependency du…

1446983

…ring build

chore(vscode): finalize removal of @esbuild references and config.ts …

4910f29

…messaging

joffeoja marked this pull request as ready for review September 22, 2025 18:16

joffeoja requested a review from a team as a code owner September 22, 2025 18:16

joffeoja requested review from RomneyDa and removed request for a team September 22, 2025 18:16

dosubot bot added the size:XL This PR changes 500-999 lines, ignoring generated files. label Sep 22, 2025

Patrick-Erichsen requested review from Patrick-Erichsen and removed request for RomneyDa September 22, 2025 21:31

Patrick-Erichsen requested changes Sep 22, 2025

View reviewed changes

github-project-automation bot moved this from Todo to In Progress in Issues and PRs Sep 22, 2025

joffeoja added 7 commits September 23, 2025 08:04

test(core): delete legacy ConfigHandler test for config.ts

a4524b6

docs(binary): clarify esbuild is build-time only; drop @esbuild mention

f9c1f13

refactor(core): remove CustomLLM and config.ts-only custom LLM code p…

c7b206f

…aths

chore(vscode): rename download-copy-sqlite-esbuild.js → download-copy…

c0e8fe8

…-sqlite.js

chore(vscode): remove legacy config.ts watcher

ed0f517

chore(vscode): remove unused copyTreeSitterTagQryFiles and references

a26bdcb

docs: remove config.ts references from configuration guide

10c9296

joffeoja requested a review from Patrick-Erichsen September 23, 2025 16:57

RomneyDa requested changes Sep 26, 2025

View reviewed changes

feat: remove config.ts support and esbuild runtime packaging across repo #7895

Are you sure you want to change the base?

feat: remove config.ts support and esbuild runtime packaging across repo #7895

Uh oh!

Conversation

joffeoja commented Sep 22, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Summary

Changes

Core

Documentation

Motivation

Security

Related Issue

Uh oh!

joffeoja commented Sep 22, 2025

Uh oh!

Patrick-Erichsen left a comment • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

RomneyDa commented Sep 24, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

RomneyDa left a comment • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

joffeoja commented Sep 27, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

joffeoja commented Sep 22, 2025 •

edited

Loading

Patrick-Erichsen left a comment •

edited

Loading

RomneyDa commented Sep 24, 2025 •

edited

Loading

RomneyDa left a comment •

edited

Loading

joffeoja commented Sep 27, 2025 •

edited

Loading