TIL - VS Code Extension Bisect

When VS Code starts acting weird — slow startup, freezing, crashes, or broken features — it's often an extension causing the problem. But with dozens of extensions installed, how do you find the culprit?

Extension Bisect is VS Code's built-in tool that uses binary search to identify problematic extensions efficiently.

How to Use It

1. Start Extension Bisect

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run:

Start Extension Bisect

VS Code will reload with only half of your extensions enabled.

2. Check if the Problem Persists

After reload, check if the issue still occurs:

Problem still exists → Click "I can't reproduce" to disable the current half and test the other half
Problem is gone → Click "I can reproduce" to continue bisecting within the current set

3. Repeat Until Found

VS Code continues splitting the extension set in half each time. After log₂(n) iterations, it identifies the problematic extension.

4. Review Results

Once found, VS Code shows you: - The problematic extension name - Option to disable or uninstall it - Option to report the issue to the extension's repository