Boost Your Dev Performance: Fixing GitHub Copilot's Memory Glitches in VS Code

In the fast-paced world of software development, tools like GitHub Copilot are designed to accelerate our workflow and help us achieve our software developer goals. However, even the most advanced AI assistants can sometimes introduce unexpected hurdles. A recent discussion in the GitHub Community highlighted a common frustration: GitHub Copilot causing the VS Code JS/TS language service to crash repeatedly.

The Challenge: Copilot's Unexpected Performance Hiccup

The issue, initially raised by user QaQusQa, describes a scenario where enabling GitHub Copilot in VS Code leads to persistent error messages like: "The JS/TS language service crashed 5 times in the last 5 Minutes. This may be caused by a plugin contributed by one of these extensions: GitHub.copilot-chat Please try disabling these extensions before filing an issue against VS Code." Disabling Copilot immediately resolves the problem, indicating a direct conflict.

As Dagris, another community member, expertly explained, this is a known conflict where the Copilot extension consumes excessive memory (Out Of Memory - OOM) while trying to parse the context for the TypeScript (TS) Server. This excessive memory consumption directly impacts the IDE's performance, potentially leading to crashes that a robust performance measurement tool would flag immediately.

Solutions to Restore Your Development Flow

Fortunately, Dagris provided a clear set of solutions, ordered by ease and effectiveness, to tackle this memory-related performance bottleneck:

1. Harmonize TypeScript Versions

Sometimes, conflicts arise when your project's local node_modules TypeScript version clashes with the one used by VS Code's extensions. Forcing your workspace to use VS Code's built-in TypeScript version can often resolve this.

• Open any .ts or .js file in VS Code.
• Press Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on Mac) to open the Command Palette.
• Type "TypeScript: Select TypeScript Version" and select it.
• Choose "Use VS Code's Version".

2. Allocate More Memory for the TS Server

For larger projects, the default memory limit for the TS Server might not be sufficient to handle both IntelliSense and Copilot's analytical demands. Increasing this limit can provide the necessary headroom, a direct adjustment to optimize performance that a performance measurement tool would endorse.

• Go to VS Code Settings (Ctrl + , or Cmd + , on Mac).
• Search for typescript.tsserver.maxTsServerMemory.
• Increase the default value (often 3072 MB) to something higher, such as 8192 (8GB), if your machine's resources allow.

"typescript.tsserver.maxTsServerMemory": 8192

3. Stay Updated or Go Insiders

Software bugs are constantly being addressed. This specific issue has been a focus for recent VS Code updates. Ensuring you're on the latest stable version or trying the Insiders build can often provide a quick fix.

• Check for updates via Help > Check for Updates.
• Consider switching to the VS Code Insiders build, which includes the latest experimental features and bug fixes, to see if a patch works for your specific environment.

Achieving Your Software Developer Goals with a Stable Environment

A stable and performant development environment is crucial for productivity and for achieving your long-term software developer goals. By understanding and applying these solutions, developers can mitigate the memory conflicts between GitHub Copilot and VS Code's language services, ensuring that their AI assistant remains a help, not a hindrance. Keep your tools optimized, and your code will flow more smoothly.