[pkg firewall] docs only: record why VS Code needs a product.json patch - #24
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[pkg firewall] docs only: record why VS Code needs a product.json patch#24dekkagaijin wants to merge 1 commit into
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Design note, no code. Lands ahead of the VS Code ecosystem implementation so
the mechanism can be agreed before the implementation is reviewed.
The obvious way to point VS Code's extension gallery at the firewall is the
ExtensionGalleryServiceUrl enterprise policy: MDM-delivered, survives updates,
not user-editable. It cannot carry this, for three reasons verified against the
shipping 1.131.0 bundle and upstream release/1.99 + main:
1. It expects an IExtensionGalleryManifest, not a marketplace API root.
2. VS Code gates it behind a GitHub entitlement — no Copilot
Business/Enterprise seat means a null manifest, which disables the
Extensions view entirely. A failed gate is worse than not deploying.
3. `code --install-extension` never consults it; cliProcessMain.js reads
productService.extensionsGallery.serviceUrl directly.
Patching product.json has no entitlement gate, needs no manifest endpoint, and
covers the CLI for free.
Also records what would unblock the policy path (a factory-side manifest
endpoint, which would make it an additional delivery option rather than a
replacement), why AllowedExtensions is left under admin control rather than
generated, and how to verify policy state on a machine.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Design notes, no code. The proposed implementation in the RFC Lands ahead of the VS Code ecosystem implementation so the mechanism can be agreed before the implementation is reviewed.
The obvious way to point VS Code's extension gallery at the firewall is the ExtensionGalleryServiceUrl enterprise policy: MDM-delivered, survives updates, not user-editable. It cannot carry this, for three reasons verified against the shipping 1.131.0 bundle and upstream release/1.99 + main:
IExtensionGalleryManifestreturned from the marketplace API root. We currently return an HTTP400.code --install-extensionnever consults it;cliProcessMain.jsreads productService.extensionsGallery.serviceUrl directly. Without an upstream patch, we must have a solution for patching and maintaining VSCode'sproduct.jsondurably across updates.Patching
product.jsonhas no entitlement gate, needs no manifest endpoint, and covers the CLI for free.Also records what would unblock the policy path (a factory-side manifest endpoint, which would make it an additional delivery option rather than a replacement), why AllowedExtensions is left under admin control rather than generated, and how to verify policy state on a machine.
https://endorlabs.atlassian.net/browse/LM-452