Enable any LLM (e.g. Claude) to interactively debug any language for you via MCP and a VS Code Extension
Claude Debugs For You
aka Vibe Debugging
This is an MCP Server and VS Code extension which enables claude to interactively debug and evaluate expressions.
That means it should also work with other models / clients etc. but I only demonstrate it with Claude Desktop and Continue here.
It's language-agnostic, assuming debugger console support and valid launch.json for debugging in VSCode.
.vsix directly, go to the three dots in "Extensions" in VS Code and choose "Install from VSIX..."You can click this status menu for the commands available
Copy the stdio server path to your clipboard by searching vs code commands for "Copy MCP Debug Server stdio path to clipboard"
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
{
"mcpServers": {
"debug": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-debug.js"
]
}
}
}
VS Code Debugging Documentation
Open a project containing a .vscode/launch.json with the first configuration setup to debug a specific file with ${file}.
See Run an Example below, and/or watch a demo video.
Find bugs or have an idea that will improve this? Please open a pull request or log an issue.
Does this readme suck? Help me improve it!
It figures out the problem, and then suggests a fix, which we just click to apply
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3a0a879d-2db7-4a3f-ab43-796c22a0f1ef
Configuration:
{
...
"experimental": {
"modelContextProtocolServers": [
{
"transport": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/Users/jason/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/jasonmcghee.claude-debugs-for-you/mcp-debug.js"
]
}
}
]
}
}
You'll also need to choose a model capable of using tools.
When the list of tools pops up, make sure to click "debug" in the list of your tools, and set it to be "Automatic".
If you are seeing MCP errors in continue, try disabling / re-enabling the continue plugin
If helpful, this is what my configuration looks like! But it's nearly the same as Claude Desktop.
In this example, I made it intentionally very cautious (make no assumptions etc - same prompt as below) but you can ask it to do whatever.
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ef6085f7-11a2-4eea-bb60-b5a54873b5d5
npm run install and npm run compilenpm run compilevsce package
Open examples/python in a VS Code window
Enter the prompt:
i 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!
When you start multiple vs code windows, you'll see a pop-up. You can gracefully hand-off "Claude Debugs For You" between windows.
You can also disable autostart. Then you'll just need to click the status menu and select "Start Server".