# How to debug a VS Code extension using CursorAI

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [December 18, 2024, 12:30pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717 "2024-12-18T12:30:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TR20](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/tr20/32/16416_2.png) [@TR20](https://forum.cursor.com/u/TR20)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 12:30pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717/1 "2024-12-18T12:30:27Z")

</div>

When I debug a VS Code extension using CurosrAI IDE, the commands defined in my `package.json` are not shown in the new CursorAI Instance, and I get this in the **DEBUG CONSOLE** :

```auto
activating cursor retrieval extension isDev: false

```

I tried using vanilla VS Code to debug the exact same extension and it works just fine, but it doesn’t seem to work on CurosrAI.

In VSCode:  
The default `Hello World` command appears.

 ![vsc](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/d/c/dcb55aa5b4716b2420e5543444d598e12985f768.png)

In CursorAI:  
There’s no `Hello World` command (No matching commands).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![YoraiLevi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/yorailevi/32/17747_2.png) [@YoraiLevi](https://forum.cursor.com/u/YoraiLevi)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2024, 5:28am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717/2 "2024-12-29T05:28:47Z")

</div>

I have had the same issue.  
Check out what vscode version cursor is using from the about menu  
mine uses `1.93.1` while the hello world example auto-generated defaulted to `1.96.0`  
The solution was to downgrade the following in `package.json` and `npm install` again

```auto
...
  "engines": {
    "vscode": "^1.93.0"
  },
...
"devDependencies": {
    "@types/vscode": "^1.93.0",
...

```

related:

- [My extension is not being activated in Cursor](https://forum.cursor.com/t/my-extension-is-not-being-activated-in-cursor/14463)
- [How to debug a VS Code extension using CursorAI](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![juliangoetze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/juliangoetze/32/49291_2.png) [@juliangoetze](https://forum.cursor.com/u/juliangoetze)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717/3 "2025-04-25T03:13:17Z")

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You’re a god, thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tenninebt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/tenninebt/32/89740_2.png) [@tenninebt](https://forum.cursor.com/u/tenninebt)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/how-to-debug-a-vs-code-extension-using-cursorai/35717/4 "2025-12-05T23:40:21Z")

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I’m having the same problem, but this does not solve it. I’m using engine (+ typings) v1.100.0, my cursor is using 1.105.1. So newer, which should be fine, as the engine specified in the extension is the “minimum” version. I tested it with vscode 1.106.0 and the extension works!  
Any tips? (The extension does not even try to activate, I have a log on activation, cursor does not even try ☹ )