VSCode Extension Host Keeps Crashing As Soon as First Project is Added

[brunohaid]

Bit baffled by this one, I assume it's related to the attempted nRF SDK Intellisense magic:

We do have a monorepo for various controller projects that includes two zephyr setups in lib/zephyr (latest, for non nRF projects) and lib/nordic (for nRF projects), both gitignored and set up as per respective installation instructions. Command line builds are invoked by either source .venv/bin/activate && west build ... for native Zephyr projects or nrfutil toolchain-manager launch west build -- ... for Nordic ones, with ZEPHYR_BASE etc set beforehand, and build well with all the right respective variables and dirs set.


The issue is that on an M2 MacBook, as soon as we add a project dir to the NRF CONNECT extension, the Extension Host keeps crashing every 30 seconds or so.

No error is given in any of the consoles / outputs, including the vscode js developer console. Intuitively it feels like some logic looking for manifest files, includes, ways to set up Intellisense etc gets lost or runs out of memory / in circles.

Observations:

- Most functionality of the extension does work (until it crashes), including adding build configurations, building, flashing, connecting do devices and outputs etc.

- At startup, the Extension reports multiple, mostly lib/zephyr/zephyr and lib/nordic/zephyr, but sometimes random (Found manifest file: /Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic/modules/hal/nxp/mcux/mcux-sdk/west.yml) manifest files and suggests to initialize them, despite the main West workspaces already being initialized.

- Occasional nRF error being shown: "HMv2 SOCs must be passed to determine identifier components."

What we tried so far:

- Creating a completely blank c_cpp_properties.json configuration, cleaning up settings.json, and disabling all other Extensions with Extension bisect and manually.
- Trying to find any traces of the actual error.

- Trying to figure out if the NRF Extension traverses the entire monorepo (way too much) when trying to automate the Intellisense setup, or if it can be limited to our lib/nordic folder within it.

Support Information including full PATH etc:

// IMPORTANT: The following data can contain sensitive or confidential information about your environment.

// If you do not want others to see this information, make sure to remove it before sharing the data.

// For help and support, visit Nordic Semiconductor's DevZone at devzone.nordicsemi.com/.

{

"platform": {

"os": "darwin",

"osVersion": "Darwin Kernel Version 24.0.0: Tue Sep 24 23:37:13 PDT 2024; root:xnu-11215.1.12~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8112",

"osKernel": "24.0.0",

"vscode": "1.96.4",

"electron": "32.2.6",

"node": "v20.18.1"

},

"system": {

"date": "2025-01-24T12:36:15.199Z",

"vscodeRoot": "/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app",

"nrfConnectForDesktopInstalled": true,

"vscodeUptime": "00:00:08",

"osUptime": "169:49:12",

"cpu": "Apple M2"

},

"workspace": {

"name": "meso-firmware (Workspace)",

"workspaceFile": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/config/meso-firmware.code-workspace",

"folders": [

"/Users/bruno/meso/firmware"

]

},

"sdks": [

{

"version": "v4.0.99",

"path": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/zephyr"

},

{

"version": "v3.7.99",

"path": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic"

}

],

"activeBuild": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/cabinet/brain/build/brain",

"apps": [

{

"workspace": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware",

"uri": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/cabinet/brain",

"buildConfigurations": [

{

"id": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/cabinet/brain/build",

"name": "build",

"boardId": "nrf54l15dk/nrf54l15/cpuapp",

"type": "Sysbuild",

"isChild": false,

"isStale": true,

"taskBindings": {

"build": [],

"pristineBuild": [],

"flash": [],

"eraseAndFlash": []

},

"toolchain": "Zephyr SDK 0.17.0"

}

]

}

],

"toolchains": [

{

"version": "2.9.0",

"path": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5"

},

{

"version": "2.8.0",

"path": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/15b490767d"

},

{

"version": "0.17.0",

"path": "/Users/bruno/zephyr-sdk-0.17.0"

}

],

"connectedDevices": [],

"tools": {

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gcc": "0.17.0 (arm64)",

"/Applications/SEGGER/JLink/JLinkExe": "8.10j (x64,arm64)",

"/usr/local/bin/nrfjprog": "10.24.2 (x64,arm64)",

"/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic/nrfutil": "7.13.0 (x64,arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/cmake": "3.21.0 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/west": "1.2.0",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/python3": "3.12.4 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/ninja": "1.10.2 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/gperf": "3.1 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/dtc": "1.6.1 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/gn": "2202 (arm64)",

"/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin/git": "2.37.3 (arm64)",

"arm-gdbPath": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gdb",

"riscv-gdbPath": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk/riscv64-zephyr-elf/bin/riscv64-zephyr-elf-gdb"

},

"nrfutil": {

"nrfutil-device": {

"version": "2.7.9",

"binPath": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect-2025.1.127-darwin-arm64/platform/nrfutil/bin/nrfutil-device",

"jlinkInfo": {

"description": "This version of SEGGER J-Link is different from the J-Link version that was used to test nrfutil device commands",

"expectedVersion": {

"version": "JLink_V7.94i",

"versionFormat": "string"

},

"name": "JlinkARM",

"version": "JLink_V8.10j",

"versionFormat": "string"

}

},

"nrfutil-toolchain-manager": {

"version": "0.14.4",

"binPath": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect-2025.1.127-darwin-arm64/platform/nrfutil/bin/nrfutil-toolchain-manager"

}

},

"environment": {

"westEnv": {

"GIT_EXEC_PATH": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/Cellar/git/2.37.3/libexec/git-core",

"HOME": "/Users/bruno",

"PATH": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/usr/bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/usr/local/bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/nanopb/generator-bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin:/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk/riscv64-zephyr-elf/bin:/Users/bruno/.bun/bin:/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/Versions/latest/bin:/opt/homebrew/opt/postgresql@15/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/GNU-tools-for-STM32/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STLink-gdb-server/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/CMake/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/Ninja/bin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/Library/Apple/usr/bin:/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic:/Applications/ArmGNUToolchain/14.2.rel1/aarch64-none-elf/bin:/Users/bruno/.bun/bin:/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/Versions/latest/bin:/opt/homebrew/opt/postgresql@15/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/GNU-tools-for-STM32/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STLink-gdb-server/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/CMake/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/Ninja/bin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/Library/Apple/usr/bin:/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic:/Applications/ArmGNUToolchain/14.2.rel1/aarch64-none-elf/bin",

"ZEPHYR_BASE": "/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic/zephyr",

"ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT": "zephyr",

"ZEPHYR_SDK_INSTALL_DIR": "/opt/nordic/ncs/toolchains/b8efef2ad5/opt/zephyr-sdk",

"USER": "bruno"

},

"inherited": {

"ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE": "1",

"HOME": "/Users/bruno",

"PATH": "/Users/bruno/.bun/bin:/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/Versions/latest/bin:/opt/homebrew/opt/postgresql@15/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/GNU-tools-for-STM32/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/STLink-gdb-server/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/CMake/bin:/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.17.0/Ninja/bin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/Library/Apple/usr/bin:/Users/bruno/meso/firmware/lib/nordic:/Applications/ArmGNUToolchain/14.2.rel1/aarch64-none-elf/bin",

"USER": "bruno"

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},

"terminal": {

"defaultProfile": null

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"config": {

"nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect": {

"topdir": "",

"toolchain": {

"path": ""

},

"ozonePath": "",

"applications": [

"${workspaceFolder}/cabinet/brain"

],

"applicationOptions": {},

"kconfig": {

"interface": "kconfig"

},

"west": {

"env": {

"$base": "terminal"

}

},

"boardRoots": [],

"taskBindings": {},

"buildTerminal": {

"condensedProgress": true

},

"debugging": {

"flash": false,

"bindings": {

"${workspaceFolder}/cabinet/brain/build_1/brain": "Launch brain"

},

"justMyCode": false

},

"activeAppFollowActiveEditor": true,

"flash": {

"softreset": false,

"erase": false,

"recover": false

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"enableTelemetry": true,

"thirdpartyIntegration": {},

"toolchainManager": {

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"installDirectory": null

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"nrfutil": {

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"terminalProfile": {

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"terminalMode": "character"

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"version": "2025.1.127",

"path": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect-2025.1.127-darwin-arm64",

"isActive": true

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"path": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal-2024.9.14",

"isActive": true

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"path": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-devicetree-2024.12.15",

"isActive": true

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"path": "/Users/bruno/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2024.12.13",

"isActive": true

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[Priyanka]

Hi Bruno,

I am looking into this. I will check this internally and get back to you.

Regards,

Priyanka

[Priyanka]

Hi,

Could you try to disable the c/c++ extension and see if issue persists? 

If issue is not present you can try to install older version of the c/c++ extension to see if this is a new bug introduced by Microsoft.

-Priyanka

[brunohaid]

Hi & thanks Priyanka!

That was one of the first things we tried (see "What we tried so far"), problem still persist. We also tried having the extensions on, but with an empty profile:

// ---------- Nordic Semi Projects ----------

{
"name": "Nordic"
},

in our cpp config json. Neither makes any difference. Unfortunately don't know enough about the VSCode plumbing to help more with debugging, but given the good old sign "macbook gets hot", I assume the Nordic SDK extension gets hung up in some sort of circular / infinite loop.

Do you know if there's a setting with which we could tell the nRF plugin to not scour the entire workspace, but only the directory the Nordic forked Zephyr, nrf, nrfxlib is installed in?

[Priyanka]

Hi,

Setting the c/c++ config will not make any differance as nRF Connect for VSCode will overwrite these settings via API.
So to make sure we are on the same page:
You have Disabled the c/c++ extension and the issue persists?

-Priyanka

[brunohaid]

Yes, the issue persist if nRF Connect is the only active extension.

[Priyanka]

Hi Bruno,

I check this internally with experts and they asked whether you could share your environment setup and confirm whether you have this issue on multiple machines?

Regards,

Priyanka

[brunohaid]

Hi Priyanka, env itself should be in the support information I posted, machine is an M2 Macbook, but it happens on both Windows and Mac.

To help with usage/debugging in the meantime: see my previous questions if there's a way to tell nRF Connect to not traverse the entire monorepo? We're still getting various "west.yml found" messages, despite our application(s) already having proper build configurations pointing to the zephyr / SDK folders we want to use, which tells me that Connect is still looking everywhere across the repo.

Something along the lines of the now deprecated nrf-connect.toolchain.path or nrf-connect.topdir.

[Priyanka]

From the logs we don't see that the firmware directory or the application in it would be a west workspace.

I assume that it is a "freestanding" application. In that case it's also a bit unusual that the "SDK"s i.e. lib/nordic and lib/zephyr are under this directory - We would recommend to move them outside of firmware. 

This is unrelated, but it can also be seen that the environment of toolchain 2.9.0 is referred but it's mixed with /Users/bruno/zephyr-sdk-0.17.0, is there any reason for this? The toolchain 2.9.0 already includes zephyr-sdk-0.17.0, this is just confusing and also leads to potential conflicting requirements for tools to be installed in PATH for no reason.

 We don't suggest to use python virtual environments, that will not work under VS Code.

-Priyanka

[brunohaid]

Neither of them is, as mentioned firmware is our monorepo for all firmware development. It contains about 20 different projects, 4 of which are freestanding zephyr projects, two of them Nordic based, two STM32. 

The two West workspaces are in lib/zephyr (latest Zephyr 4.0…) and lib/nordic (latest Nordic fork). 

The Nordic one works with nrfutil, the latest Zephyr one with venv, as is recommended by Zephyr and works as it should. The zephyr sdk 0.17.0 is needed and used for building STM32 based zephyr projects. 

All builds work, it’s just the VSCode Extension that keeps crashing.