PowerShell / PowerShell/vscode-powershell

default settings for PSScriptAnalyzer are different to the CLI

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#5,385 3 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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Area-Script Analysis Issue-Bug
Dominant language
TypeScript
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Forks
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Description

Prerequisites
  • I have written a descriptive issue title.
  • I have searched all open and closed issues to ensure it has not already been reported.
  • I have read the troubleshooting guide.
  • I am sure this issue is with the extension itself and does not reproduce in a standalone PowerShell instance.
  • I have verified that I am using the latest version of Visual Studio Code and the PowerShell extension.
  • If this is a security issue, I have read the security issue reporting guidance.
Summary

the default PSScriptAnalyzer config in the vscode extension seems to be different to the default config in the CLI

> Invoke-ScriptAnalyzer .\windows\foo.ps1

RuleName                            Severity     ScriptName Line  Message
--------                            --------     ---------- ----  -------
PSAvoidUsingWriteHost               Warning      foo.ps1    1     File 'foo.ps1' uses Write-Host. Avoid using Write-Host      
                                                                  because it might not work in all hosts, does not work when  
                                                                  there is no host, and (prior to PS 5.0) cannot be
                                                                  suppressed, captured, or redirected. Instead, use
                                                                  Write-Output, Write-Verbose, or Write-Information.

creating a PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1 file and enabling the rule explicitly seems to fix it:

@{
    Severity=@('Error','Warning')
    IncludeRules=@('PSAvoidUsingWriteHost')
}

but i would rather not have to configure every single rule in order to have consistent behavior in the CLI and vscode

PowerShell Version
Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      5.1.22621.6345
PSEdition                      Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion                   10.0.22621.6345
CLRVersion                     4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion              3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1

Name             : Visual Studio Code Host
Version          : 2025.4.0
InstanceId       : 4b4cb36f-0f98-4c1e-97e0-aaf3f2916128
UI               : System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface
CurrentCulture   : en-AU
CurrentUICulture : en-GB
PrivateData      : Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost+ConsoleColorProxy
DebuggerEnabled  : True
IsRunspacePushed : False
Runspace         : System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalRunspace
Visual Studio Code Version
1.108.0
94e8ae2b28cb5cc932b86e1070569c4463565c37
x64
Extension Version
ms-vscode.powershell@2025.4.0
Steps to Reproduce
  1. install PSScriptAnalyzer: Install-Module -Name PSScriptAnalyzer -Force -scope currentuser
  2. create foo.ps1 with the following content:
    write-host asdf
    
  3. run Invoke-ScriptAnalyzer .\foo.ps1 and observe that the error is reported only in the CLI but not in vscode
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Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing the extension's PSScriptAnalyzer invocation and compare its defaults with the reported Invoke-ScriptAnalyzer .\foo.ps1 result. Reproduce with foo.ps1 containing write-host asdf. Done means the same default diagnostic appears in VS Code without a PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1 file.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
powershell, typescript
Domain
devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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