Visual Studio Code Web IDE integration
Problem to solve
GitLab currently offers a Web IDE for file editing and crafting git commits. Though very practical, it won't become a serious replacement for a dedicated IDE without spending a disproportionate amount of work on it.
Intended users
Developers, especially those who prefer working with Visual Studio Code.
Further details
An added benefit would be that the server can do all the heavy lifting so development workstations can be relatively lightweight and won't need any development tooling installed locally. This is especially beneficial for Chromebooks as they are only able to run web applications.
Proposal
Visual Studio Code is an open source, high quality, highly customizable IDE built on web technology. This makes it possible to not only run it locally but also in the browser. The code-server and Theia projects make it very easy to host VS Code in Docker. I propose adding full support for web-based VS Code by integrating it with GitLab.
Next to the button for opening the Web IDE there should be a button for opening VS Code.
Project configuration should be saved in the project repository.
User preferences should be accessible from the GitLab user profile.
The terminal should run inside a Docker container and its configuration should be in line with the current feature Interactive Web Terminals for the Web IDE
Permissions and Security
I believe this feature should follow the same permissions model as the Web IDE.
Documentation
Input needed.
Testing
Input needed.
What does success look like, and how can we measure that?
Developers can potentially use only GitLab for their entire workflow without the hassle of installing and configuring a development toolchain locally.