[VS Code] Custom port support for self hosted instances

User problem to solve

When a developer is working in a self-hosted GitLab instance configured to a non-standard port (ex: https://gitlab.company.internal:8443), they experience the following:

  • When connecting to their instance, the extension fails to recognize it's a valid GitLab server
  • When clicking on links in the sidebar or overview pages, they're directed to URL's missing port number (https://gitlab.company.internal/project instead of https://gitlab.company.internal:8443/project)
  • The GitLab remote references in the repositories work correctly in Git, but the extension fails to parse them correctly, resulting in a GitLab instance not found errors.

Why are we solving it

  • Affects users with self-hosted GitLab instances on non-standard ports
  • Primarily impacts enterprise environments and orgs with custom network configurations
  • Multiple issues have been reported from users (see linked issues)

Product Proposal

Functional requirements

  • The extension correctly recognizes GitLab instances running on non-standard ports.
  • Remote repository URLs with custom ports are properly parsed and matched to their instance.
  • All extension features work consistently regardless of the user's port config.
  • All generated links include the correct port number (if there is a link).
  • No manual URL modification needed when working with non-standard port instances

Instrumentation

  • Track instance not found error frequency when users are connecting to their GitLab instance