Visual Studio Code - Python debugging - Step into the code of external functions when executing

Question

In a Python project, how do you tell the built-in VSCode debugger to step into the code of functions from other libraries on execution?

I know it is possible for functions implemented in standard libraries by adding a

"debugOptions": ["DebugStdLib"]

to your configuration in launch.json as specified here, however it does not seem to be possible to force the debugger to step into the code of non-standard modules, such as the ones you have written yourself and imported into the current file.

Answer 1

This is done by customising your debugger.

If you haven't already, you need to initialise the debugger customisation. You can do this by opening the debugger section in the side bar and selecting create a launch.json file.

Once this is done, a launch.json file will be created in a .vscode folder in your workspace.

Edit this file. It will look something like this:

{
    ...,
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal"
        }
    ]
}

Add "justMyCode": false to the "Python: Current File" configuration, like this:

{
    ...,
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "justMyCode": false
        }
    ]
}

True as of Visual Studio Code version 1.59.0.

Reference: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/debugging

Answer 2

A debugger configuration with

"debugOptions": ["DebugStdLib"]

added in launch.json in fact will step into user-defined and pip-installed modules, contrary to what's written in the main question.

Answer 3

Most of the time, I debug unit tests rather than the running application.

If that is also the case on your side and you use:

• Visual Studio Code
• pytest
• The Python Test Explorer for Visual Studio Code (A test runner extension (adds a debug menu and provided debug buttons above tests directly in the IDE)) https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=LittleFoxTeam.vscode-python-test-adapter

Then use the following launch.json as mentionned in the plugin page:

    {
        "version": "0.2.0",
        "configurations": [
            {
                "name": "Debug test",
                "type": "python",
                "request": "attach",
                "console": "externalTerminal",
                "justMyCode": false,
                "stopOnEntry": true,
                "envFile": "${workspaceFolder}/.env.test",
                "purpose": ["debug-test"]
            }
        ]
    }