VSCodeVim / VSCodeVim/Vim

Normal mode lags after ~10 minutes of having vs code open with vim extension

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Dominant language
TypeScript
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Description

Describe the bug
Lag only in normal mode of vim mode after a little while of using vs code with vim, makes it completely unusable.

To Reproduce

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Have Vim extension installed and enabled
  3. Keep it open or use it for around 10/15 minutes
  4. Lag starts when in normal mode, especially when moving around

Expected behavior
Should not be lagging, especially to this extent where it becomes unusable. I have to reload my window to reset it.

Screenshots
Recording of the issue, please note the key casting on the bottom left of the screen, I stop typing and the cursor still moves until a few seconds after.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/371c364a-1619-487e-bc39-b47770edb4d4

Environment (please complete the following information):

  • Extension (VsCodeVim) version: 1.30.1
  • VSCode version: 1.102.3
  • OS: MacOS Sequoia 15.5

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.
Using a Mac mini, M2 Pro, 16GB memory

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

Reproduce the lag with VSCodeVim 1.30.1 on VS Code 1.102.3 by leaving a MacOS Sequoia 15.5 window open for 10–15 minutes, then use Developer: Show Running Extensions to inspect extension activity. Done means normal-mode movement remains responsive without needing to reload the window.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript, vscode
Domain
developer-experience
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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