coc-* packages vs coc-vscode-loader — which maintenance experience is better?

[ChuYanLon]

@Freed-Wu Are you still using dedicated coc-* packages for language servers and plugins on coc.nvim, or have you switched to coc-vscode-loader? Which approach do you find easier to maintain and keep up to date?

[Freed-Wu]

I install coc-vscode-loader, however haven't try vscode extensions converted by it.

It looks like a JIT convert, Not AOT convert that convert a vscode extension to a npm package named vscode-XXX, then install it in coc.nvim.

[ChuYanLon]

It IS AOT — exactly as you described: "convert a vscode extension to a npm package, then install it in coc.nvim." That is what coc-vscode-loader does. The package is named coc-<name> (e.g. coc-yaml) rather than vscode-<name>, but it is the same idea — a real npm package in ~/.config/coc/extensions/node_modules/ registered in extensions/package.json.

Here is the full install pipeline (source: plugin/src/pipeline.ts:623-670):

Step 1 — downloadSource():
git clone --depth 1 the upstream repo to ~/.config/coc/converter-cache/<name>/source/

Step 2 — convertSource():
Run the converter CLI (converter/src/convert.ts) on the cloned source:

• ts-morph AST transforms: import-mapping, class-to-factory, provider-register, enum-offset, etc.
• Text replacements: .fileName -> Uri.parse(.uri).fsPath, WorkspaceEdit polyfill, etc.
• Output: a complete build/ directory with package.json, esbuild.mjs, src/index.ts (entry), src/*.ts, coc-convert.json

Step 3 — buildPackage():

• npm install in build/
• node esbuild.mjs -> bundles everything into lib/index.js
• Optional: download pre-built server from VSIX, install pip/go/cargo packages, download binary servers

Step 4 — installToCoc():

• Copy build/ to ~/.config/coc/extensions/node_modules/coc-<name>/
• Register it as a "file:" dependency in extensions/package.json

Nothing happens at runtime — coc.nvim just loads lib/index.js like any other plugin. Not JIT.