aws / aws/aws-toolkit-vscode

Amazon Q extension fails to activate on VS Code Remote SSH connection

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bug
Dominant language
TypeScript
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Description

## Problem

Amazon Q extension fails to activate on VS Code Remote SSH connection with error: `PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs`. The Amazon Q panel remains dark/blank with no login options available, despite AWS Toolkit being successfully connected via IAM Identity Center. The `Amazon Q: About` command returns nothing, indicating the extension is not fully activated.

## Steps to reproduce the issue

1. Connect to remote server via SSH in VS Code (Remote - SSH extension)
2. Install AWS Toolkit and Amazon Q extensions on the remote server
3. Connect AWS Toolkit using IAM Identity Center (Workforce) authentication - connection succeeds
4. Open Amazon Q panel in the sidebar
5. Panel remains dark/blank with no UI elements
6. Run `Amazon Q: About` command - returns nothing
7. Check logs at `~/.vscode-server/data/logs/[date]/exthost*/remoteexthost.log`
8. See error: `PendingMigrationError: navigator is now a global in nodejs`

## Expected behavior

Amazon Q panel should display properly with authentication options or chat interface after AWS Toolkit is connected. The extension should activate without navigator API errors. The `Amazon Q: About` command should return version information.

- OS: Linux arm64 6.12.62+rpt-rpi-2712 (Raspberry Pi 5)
- Visual Studio Code extension host: 1.109.5
- AWS Toolkit: 3.96.0
- Amazon Q version: 1.110.0
- Node: 22.21.1
- Amazon Q: About command returns nothing (extension not fully activated)

## Additional context

- AWS Toolkit connects successfully and shows valid connection state
- Amazon Q logs show: `toolkit activated = false` and `Error: No connection found`
- The navigator error appears during extension activation at line: `.vscode-server/extensions/amazonwebservices.amazon-q-vscode-1.110.0/dist/src/extensionNode.js`
- Issue is specific to Remote SSH environment - local installation works fine
- Reinstalling the extension does not resolve the issue

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Reproduce the failure through a VS Code Remote SSH connection and inspect the reported remoteexthost.log entry alongside .vscode-server/extensions/amazonwebservices.amazon-q-vscode-1.110.0/dist/src/extensionNode.js. Use the Amazon Q: About command and panel state to verify activation; done means the panel loads, authentication or chat is available, and the command returns version information without the navigator error.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
node.js, typescript, vscode
Domain
developer-experience, tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
42/100

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