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Proposal: Expand & Improve Compose Language support #106

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@colinhemmings

Description

@colinhemmings

Problem

The current Docker Compose Language Server Protocol (LSP) implementation inside the Docker VS Code extension is incomplete and limits the developer experience:

  • Autocompletion is inconsistent or missing for many Compose attributes.
  • Validation of Compose files is minimal, catching only basic syntax errors.
  • Hover information is sparse, often only showing type hints without helpful documentation.
  • No schema-based suggestions for service options, volumes, networks, and other Compose constructs.

As a result, developers writing or editing docker-compose.yml files experience friction, higher error rates, and slower authoring compared to working with fully-supported languages or tooling.

Proposed Solution

Expand the Compose LSP support to deliver a first-class authoring experience in VS Code:

  • Rich autocompletion for all supported Compose keys, services, networks, volumes, and extensions.
  • Schema-driven validation with clear error messages and suggestions for corrections.
  • Hover documentation for keys and options explaining their purpose and usage (beyond just types).
  • Go to definition (where appropriate) for named references (like services and networks) and YAML anchors (&) and aliases (*).
  • Inline diagnostics and fix suggestions for common mistakes (e.g., typos, unsupported keys).

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