VS Code Dart & Flutter Extension Updates — New Features, Fixes, and Future Enhancements

The latest versions of the Dart and Flutter VS Code extensions are now available, bringing important updates, new features, and improved tooling. Here’s what’s new in this release:

End of Support for Older SDKs

If you’re still using Dart SDK v2.19 / Flutter SDK v3.7 or earlier, note that support for these versions has been removed in extension v3.106. If you require compatibility, you’ll need to use v3.104 instead. You can check the SDK Compatibility page for details on supported versions.

Editor Enhancements

• A new Dart: Go to Imports command allows you to quickly navigate to import directives for any given symbol.
• Debug Adapter traffic is no longer captured when using Dart: Capture Analysis Server Logs to avoid unnecessary clutter.
• Auto-import suggestions now work correctly even if an analysis_options.yaml file exists inside the lib/ folder.

Debugger Improvements

• Stack traces in the debug console now have clickable links, even for SDK _patch.dart files.
• Compilation errors in the debug console now provide clickable links to the relevant source files.

Better Testing Experience

• The failure summary bubble now shows both expected and actual values when they are simple one-line values, making test debugging more efficient.

Flutter-Specific Updates

• When enabling a new device, the extension will now automatically select it, reducing extra steps in your workflow.

General Fixes and Improvements

• The Open in Xcode action now works even if Xcode is installed on a removable drive.
• The error message shown when the analysis server crashes has been improved, now including a Show Log button for better debugging.
• Embedded DevTools pages now follow the VS Code UI’s font settings instead of adapting to the editor font size, ensuring better consistency.

Dart Tooling Daemon Customization

• A new setting, dart.toolingDaemonAdditionalArgs, allows you to pass additional arguments when running the Dart Tooling Daemon, such as specifying a custom port.

Upcoming Features for Future SDKs

Some features are dependent on upcoming changes in Dart and Flutter SDKs, but here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming:

• Auto-imports for test snippets: When using test or group snippets, required imports will be automatically added.
• Breakpoint resolution improvements: Projects using Pub Workspaces will soon support breakpoints correctly on web builds.
• Better breakpoint visibility: Unresolved (greyed-out) breakpoints will display tooltips indicating why they aren’t resolved.
• Inline variable values while debugging: Floating values (inline values) will be shown for local variables and parameters.
• Clickable package links in pubspec.yaml: Package names will now include links to their Pub.dev or GitHub pages.

Help Shape Future Improvements

Some fixes require upstream changes in VS Code or LSP. If you’d like to see certain features prioritized, check out the upstream issues page and add your 👍 to issues that matter to you.

This update brings significant enhancements to your development workflow. Try it out and let us know your feedback!