google-gemini/gemini-cli

Fix TypeScript execution in “CLI: Run Current File” debug configuration

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#22844 opened on Mar 17, 2026

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Description

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What is the problem?

The current “CLI: Run Current File” debug configuration uses:

"program": "${file}"

This attempts to execute files directly using Node.js. However, since this project is written in TypeScript, running .ts or .tsx files directly with Node will fail.

As a result, this configuration is non-functional for most files in the repository and leads to runtime errors during debugging.

⚠️ Root Cause

Node.js does not natively execute TypeScript files

The project relies on tsx (already included as a dependency) for runtime transpilation

The debug configuration does not use tsx, causing execution failures

What did you expect to happen?

Update the configuration to use tsx via npm exec, enabling proper execution of TypeScript files.

{ "name": "CLI: Run Current File", "type": "node", "request": "launch", "runtimeExecutable": "npm", "runtimeArgs": [ "exec", "tsx", "--", "${file}" ], "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}", "skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/"], "outFiles": ["${workspaceFolder}//*.js"], "env": { "NODE_ENV": "development" } } 🚀 Benefits

✅ Enables direct debugging of .ts and .tsx files

✅ Aligns with existing project tooling (tsx)

✅ Removes runtime errors when launching files

✅ Improves developer experience and debugging workflow

Additional context

No response

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptnodejs
Domain
developer experiencetooling
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
under 1 hour
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
blocked
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
VSCode debug configuration editsBasic Node.js/npm usage
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
65
Research direction
Locate the '.vscode/launch.json' file in the repository. Find the debug configuration named 'CLI: Run Current File'. Update the 'program' and related fields to use 'npm exec tsx ${file}' as shown in the issue. After making changes, test by creating a simple .ts file and launching the debug configuration to ensure it executes without errors.