Claude Debugs For You

1# <img src="./images/claude-debugs-for-you.png" width="64" height="64" alt="description" align="center"> Claude Debugs For You
2 
3[![Badge](https://img.shields.io/badge/Visual%20Studio%20Marketplace-0.1.2-blue.svg)](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JasonMcGhee.claude-debugs-for-you)
4 
5_aka Vibe Debugging_
6 
7### Enable Claude (or any other LLM) to interactively debug your code
8 
9This is an [MCP](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/build-with-claude/mcp) Server and VS Code extension which enables claude to interactively debug and evaluate expressions.
10 
11That means it should also work with other models / clients etc. but I only demonstrate it with Claude Desktop and Continue here.
12 
13It's language-agnostic, assuming debugger console support and valid launch.json for debugging in VSCode.
14 
15## Getting Started
16 
171. Download the extension from [releases](https://github.com/jasonjmcghee/claude-debugs-for-you/releases/) or [VS Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JasonMcGhee.claude-debugs-for-you)
182. Install the extension
19  - If using `.vsix` directly, go to the three dots in "Extensions" in VS Code and choose "Install from VSIX..."
203. You will see a new status menu item "Claude Debugs For You" which shows if it is running properly (check) or failed to startup (x)
21 
22<img width="314" alt="Screenshot 2025-03-22 at 9 51 22 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2cd65e0d-4c1d-4fb6-b9ea-3995149b4043" />
23 
24You can click this status menu for the commands available
25 
26<img width="510" alt="Screenshot 2025-03-22 at 9 59 22 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/54e339e3-81f8-4ef2-a201-6742aa2c97a8" />
27 
28### Follow one of the options below, depending on your setup
29 
30<details>
31  <summary>If using stdio (classic, required for Claude Desktop)</summary>
32 
334. Copy the stdio server path to your clipboard by searching vs code commands for "Copy MCP Debug Server stdio path to clipboard"
34 
355. Paste the following (BUT UPDATE THE PATH TO THE COPIED ONE!) in your `claude_desktop_config.json` or edit accordingly if you use other MCP servers
36 
37```
38{
39  "mcpServers": {
40    "debug": {
41      "command": "node",
42      "args": [
43        "/path/to/mcp-debug.js"
44      ]
45    }
46  }
47}
48```
49 
506. Start Claude desktop (or other MCP client)
51    1. Note: You may need to restart it, if it was already running.
52    2. You can skip this step if using Continue/Cursor or other built-in to VS Code
53</details>
54 
55<details>
56  <summary>If using `/sse` (e.g. Cursor)</summary>
57 
584. Retrieve the MCP server sse address by using the "Copy MCP Debug Server sse address to clipboard" command
59    1. You can just write it out server URL of "http://localhost:4711/sse", or whatever port you setup in settings.
605. Add it wherever you need to based on your client
61    1. You may need to hit "refresh" depending on client: this is required in Cursor
626. Start MCP client
63   1. Note: You may need to restart it, if it was already running.
64   2. You can skip this step if using Continue/Cursor or other built-in to VS Code
65 
66</details>
67 
68### You're ready to debug!
69 
70_[VS Code Debugging Documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging)_
71 
72Open a project containing a `.vscode/launch.json` with the first configuration setup to debug a specific file with `${file}`.
73 
74See [Run  an Example](#run-an-example) below, and/or watch a demo video.
75 
76## Contributing
77 
78Find bugs or have an idea that will improve this? Please open a pull request or log an issue.
79 
80Does this readme suck? Help me improve it!
81 
82## Demo
83 
84### Using [Continue](https://github.com/continuedev/continue)
85 
86It figures out the problem, and then suggests a fix, which we just click to apply
87 
88https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3a0a879d-2db7-4a3f-ab43-796c22a0f1ef
89 
90<details>
91  <summary>How do I set this up with Continue? / Show MCP Configuration</summary>
92 
93  [Read the docs!](https://docs.continue.dev/customize/tools)
94 
95  Configuration:
96  
97  ```json
98  {
99    ...
100    "experimental": {
101      "modelContextProtocolServers": [
102        {
103          "transport": {
104            "type": "stdio",
105            "command": "node",
106            "args": [
107              "/Users/jason/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/jasonmcghee.claude-debugs-for-you/mcp-debug.js"
108            ]
109          }
110        }
111      ]
112    }
113  }
114  ```
115 
116  You'll also need to choose a model capable of using tools.
117 
118  When the list of tools pops up, make sure to click "debug" in the list of your tools, and set it to be "Automatic".
119 
120  ### Troubleshooting
121 
122  If you are seeing MCP errors in continue, try disabling / re-enabling the continue plugin
123 
124</details>
125 
126If helpful, this is what my configuration looks like! But it's nearly the same as Claude Desktop.
127 
128 
129### Using Claude Desktop
130 
131In this example, I made it intentionally very cautious (make no assumptions etc - same prompt as below) but you can ask it to do whatever.
132 
133https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ef6085f7-11a2-4eea-bb60-b5a54873b5d5
134 
135## Developing
136 
137- Clone / Open this repo with VS Code
138- Run `npm run install` and `npm run compile`
139- Hit "run" which will open a new VSCode
140- Otherwise same as "Getting Started applies"
141- To rebuild, `npm run compile`
142 
143## Package
144 
145```bash
146vsce package
147```
148 
149 
150## Run an Example
151 
152Open `examples/python` in a VS Code window
153 
154Enter the prompt:
155 
156```
157i am building `longest_substring_with_k_distinct` and for some reason it's not working quite right. can you debug it step by step using breakpoints and evaluating expressions to figure out where it goes wrong? make sure to use the debug tool to get access and debug! don't make any guesses as to the problem up front. DEBUG!
158```
159 
160## Other things worth mentioning
161 
162When you start multiple vs code windows, you'll see a pop-up. You can gracefully hand-off "Claude Debugs For You" between windows.
163 
164You can also disable autostart. Then you'll just need to click the status menu and select "Start Server".
165 
166<img width="395" alt="Screenshot 2025-03-22 at 10 08 52 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2b6d1b61-a2c6-4447-8054-b4dd02a716e8" />
167 
168 
169## Short list of ideas
170 
171- [ ] It should use ripgrep to find what you ask for, rather than list files + get file content.
172- [x] Add support for conditional breakpoints
173- [ ] Add "fix" tool by allowing MCP to insert a CodeLens or "auto fix" suggestion so the user can choose to apply a recommended change or not.
174- Your idea here!
175