https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-file-downloader appears abandoned

[pcj]

Numerous documentation recommends using https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-file-downloader in conjunction with https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-file-downloader-api for extension authors that need the capability to download binary artifacts.

This extension unfortunately does not seem to have an active maintainer. Specifically, this extension is affected by nodejs/node#40191 and needs a fix. There is an open PR microsoft/vscode-file-downloader#32 that needs attention from someone with rights on this repository.

Anyhow, it leads to a degraded experience for vscode extensions that depend on this one, I don't have the stats of how many.

Sorry to raise it here, hoping someone from the vscode team will see it and can triage the right person.

Thanks in advance!

[isidorn]

@pcj thanks for raising this issue. Can you share some of that numerous documentation that recommends this extension?

On the VS Code side we can mark that extension as deprecated.

[prb28]

@isidorn , thanks for this info.
What is the preferred way to download files from an extension?
Is there some example somewhere?
Can the code in this extension be used as a starting point to integrate it in an extension?

[isidorn]

@prb28 I suggest to join the extension author community here and ask those questions
https://vscode-dev-community.slack.com

[prb28]

@prb28 I suggest to join the extension author community here and ask those questions

https://vscode-dev-community.slack.com

Thanks

[pcj]

@isidorn I'll look around to find examples of the recommendation I mentioned. However, the existence of https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-file-downloader having 321K installs and https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-file-downloader-api gives it an appearance of solidity.

Looks like @daniv-msft merged that PR (thanks!) so hopefully we're all good for now.

I'll go ahead and close this, thanks for your attention!