feat: comprehensive VS Code extension bundling optimization analysis (Issue #9)

.claude/settings.local.json

@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@
       "Bash(gh label:*)",
       "Bash(gh issue:*)",
       "WebSearch",
+      "Bash(find:*)",
+      "Bash(git pull:*)",
+      "Bash(pip install:*)",
+      "Bash(time npm run compile)",
+      "Bash(time npm run vscode:prepublish)",
+      "Bash(yarn install)",
       "Bash(git pull:*)"
     ]
   },

.devcontainer/install-extension.sh

@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ fi
 
 # Fallback: build locally
 echo "Building extension locally..."
-npm install
-npm run compile
-npx @vscode/vsce package --out extension.vsix
+yarn install
+yarn compile
+yarn dlx @vscode/vsce package --out extension.vsix
 
 if [ -f "extension.vsix" ]; then
     code --install-extension extension.vsix --force

.github/workflows/build-extension.yml

@@ -35,18 +35,18 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-node@v4
       with:
         node-version: '20'
-        cache: 'npm'
+        cache: 'yarn'
 
     - name: Install dependencies
-      run: npm ci
+      run: yarn install --frozen-lockfile
 
     - name: Compile TypeScript
-      run: npm run compile
+      run: yarn compile
 
     - name: Install vsce
       run: |
         # Install vsce with fallback to local installation
-        npm install -g @vscode/vsce || npm install @vscode/vsce
+        yarn global add @vscode/vsce || yarn add @vscode/vsce
 
     - name: Package extension
       run: |

.vscode/launch.json

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             "outFiles": [
                 "${workspaceFolder}/out/**/*.js"
             ],
-            "preLaunchTask": "npm: compile"
+            "preLaunchTask": "yarn: compile"
         },
         {
             "name": "Extension Tests",
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
             "outFiles": [
                 "${workspaceFolder}/out/test/**/*.js"
             ],
-            "preLaunchTask": "npm: compile"
+            "preLaunchTask": "yarn: compile"
         }
     ]
 }

.vscode/tasks.json

@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
     "version": "2.0.0",
     "tasks": [
         {
-            "type": "npm",
-            "script": "compile",
+            "label": "yarn: compile",
+            "type": "shell",
+            "command": "yarn compile",
             "group": "build",
             "presentation": {
                 "panel": "shared",
@@ -12,8 +13,9 @@
             "problemMatcher": "$tsc"
         },
         {
-            "type": "npm",
-            "script": "watch",
+            "label": "yarn: watch",
+            "type": "shell",
+            "command": "yarn watch",
             "isBackground": true,
             "group": {
                 "kind": "build",

.vscodeignore

@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 .vscode/**
 .vscode-test/**
 src/**
+out/**
 .gitignore
 .yarnrc
 vsc-extension-quickstart.md
 **/tsconfig.json
 **/.eslintrc.json
 **/*.map
-**/*.ts
+**/*.ts
+**/__pycache__/**
+Dockerfile
+Memory_Bank.md
+prompts/**
+# Preserve workspace/tests/ - essential Python integration examples
+# Preserve sample .rep and .plot.json files for testing

CLAUDE.md

@@ -4,10 +4,20 @@ This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with co
 
 ## Development Commands
 
-- `npm install` - Install dependencies
-- `npm run compile` - Compile TypeScript to JavaScript
-- `npm run watch` - Watch mode compilation for development
-- `npm run vscode:prepublish` - Prepare for publishing (runs compile)
+- `yarn install` - Install dependencies
+- `yarn compile` - Bundle extension with esbuild (includes sourcemap for development)
+- `yarn watch` - Watch mode bundling with esbuild for development
+- `yarn vscode:prepublish` - Prepare for publishing (minified esbuild bundle)
+- `yarn typecheck` - Type check TypeScript without compilation
+
+### Build System
+
+The extension uses **esbuild** for fast bundling instead of traditional TypeScript compilation:
+- Source files in `src/` are bundled into a single `dist/extension.js` file
+- Bundle includes all dependencies except VS Code API (externalized)
+- Development builds include sourcemaps for debugging
+- Production builds are minified for optimal performance
+- Build time: ~20ms (compared to previous slower TypeScript compilation)
 
 ## Testing
 

Dockerfile

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ FROM codercom/code-server:latest
 # Set the working directory
 WORKDIR /home/coder
 
-# Install Node.js, npm, and Python (required for VS Code extension builds and testing)
+# Install Node.js, yarn, and Python (required for VS Code extension builds and testing)
 USER root
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
     curl \
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
     python3-venv \
     && curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash - \
     && apt-get install -y nodejs \
+    && npm install -g yarn \
     && apt-get clean \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
@@ -30,11 +31,11 @@ COPY --chown=coder:coder . /home/coder/project/
 
 # Build the VS Code extension
 WORKDIR /home/coder/project
-RUN npm install && npm run compile
+RUN yarn install && yarn compile
 
 # Install vsce for packaging the extension (as root, then switch back)
 USER root
-RUN npm install -g @vscode/vsce
+RUN yarn global add @vscode/vsce
 USER coder
 
 # Package the extension as .vsix