Ubuntu Linux for Robotics · Lesson 22 of 96

Using VS Code on Linux

Installing, extensions for C++, Python and ROS, remote SSH, tasks and debugging.

Estimated time · 45–60 min

Learning goals

What you will understand

Explain using vs code on linux in your own words
Use it in a small workstation example
Verify the result instead of assuming it worked

Understand the idea first

The mental model

Visual Studio Code is the usual editor for ROS 2 development. Install it from Microsoft's apt repository or the .deb package, then add extensions: C/C++, CMake Tools, Python, ROS and Remote - SSH. Open a workspace with code ~/robot_ws so the editor sees the whole project.

Remote - SSH lets you edit files on the robot as if they were local, while the code and compilers run on the robot. Use compile_commands.json (cmake -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON) for accurate IntelliSense, tasks.json for colcon build and launch.json for gdb debugging.

Guided lesson

Work through these steps

1.
Open a terminal and record the current state before changing anything.
2.
Read the using vs code on linux commands and predict what each one does.
3.
Run the commands one at a time and compare each output with your prediction.
4.
Write the commands that worked in a setup note you can repeat later.

Worked example

Read it before you run it

sudo apt install ./code_amd64.deb
# Install the .deb downloaded from the VS Code website (also sets up updates).
code ~/robot_ws
# Open the workspace folder in VS Code.
code --install-extension ms-vscode.cpptools
# Install C/C++ support from the terminal.
code --install-extension ms-python.python
# Install Python support.
code --install-extension ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh
# Install remote editing over SSH.
colcon build --cmake-args -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON
# Produce the file IntelliSense uses to find headers.

What the example is doing

1.Lines without sudo only inspect or change files you own; sudo authorizes a system-wide change.
2.Read command output before moving to the next line. Stop if names, versions, disks, or paths differ from the lesson.
3.Comments beginning with # explain safety checks and are not executed by the shell.

Watch it run · Build and run

See what this code does

The terminal types this lesson's practice solution and runs it. The scene shows the kind of robot behaviour that code drives. It plays by itself and loops.

Practice code

Now type it yourself

Open a terminal, run the starter line by line (or save it as practice.sh and run bash practice.sh), and replace every TODO with your own command.

# TODO: install the C/C++ extension ms-vscode.cpptools and open ~/robot_ws

Expected output

VS Code opens ~/robot_ws with the C/C++ extension enabled

Stuck? Show the full solution (try it yourself first)

code --install-extension ms-vscode.cpptools
code ~/robot_ws

Expected result

How you know it worked

Each command completes without an unexplained error.
Your notes contain the command, the important output, and what it proves.

Practical exercise

Apply the lesson

Install VS Code and the extensions, connect to a robot or virtual machine with Remote - SSH, open a ROS 2 package, create a build task for colcon, and set a breakpoint in a C++ node.

Before you continue

You recorded the starting state
Every command and output is understood
The change can be repeated from your notes

If something goes wrong

A command says permission denied.

Check ownership and permissions first. Do not add sudo unless the command changes a documented system location.

A command or package is not found.

Check spelling, Ubuntu version, enabled repositories, and whether the previous installation command succeeded.