Python coding assistance posit-workbench code-server

We use posit-workbench as our primary IDE work environment. When it comes to python we use the code-server implementation shipped with the workbench.

  • Since you cannot use MS-pylance in the OSS code-server version (legally) we rely on pyrigth but basic coding assistance (autocomplete, signature/args popups etc.) is lackluster at best and missing completely most of the time.

  • AFAIK there is no solution in the posit-wb documentation on how to turn the OSS code-server into a functioning python IDE (reliable auto-complete, signature/docstring assistance).

How did you solve/setup your posit-wb? Is it even possible without violating MS license restrictions when it comes to their python extensions?

PS: When it comes to python the wb is lackluster, the code-server solution seems like an afterthought (here are 1/2 parts, go figure the rest out by yourself) but it is what we are stuck with.

PPS: A posit-professional partner implemented our solution. They hadn’t done it before and had no ready made plan how to actually do it. Furthermore, they had absolutely no clue about the code-server python setups since they themselves use pycharm.

Howdy, I'm the PM for Workbench, thanks for the ask!

Our guidance would be to use the Python extension and setting the language server as Jedi: Recommended Settings and Extensions in VS Code – Posit Workbench User Guide

Activating Jedi will re-enable rich language support such as code completion, error reporting, type checking, and other useful Python support that otherwise would be missing as Pylance is non-functional.

I'd also callout that we've made a lot of investments into Positron as our newest IDE. https://positron.posit.co/

Positron is a much more data-science focused tool and batteries included experience relative to VS Code. It is in fact built on Code OSS (the upstream of VS Code), so it brings the best of the text-editor features but adds on a huge amount of data-science specific UI and workflows.

Positron is currently in preview on Workbench