Create .vscode/launch.json file.

Add the following content and change program value to your output file.

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": ".NET Core Launch (console)",
      "type": "coreclr",
      "request": "launch",
      "preLaunchTask": "build",
      // TODO Change program value to your output file.
      // If you have changed target frameworks, make sure to update the program path.",
      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/Debug/net5.0/MyProgram.dll",
      "args": [],
      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
      "console": "internalConsole",
      "stopAtEntry": false
    }
  ]
}

Create .vscode/tasks.json file.

Add the following content and use your project file.

{
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "build",
      "command": "dotnet",
      "type": "process",
      "args": [
        "build",
        // TODO Change a value to your project file.
        "${workspaceFolder}/MyProgram.csproj",
        "/property:GenerateFullPaths=true",
        "/consoleloggerparameters:NoSummary"
      ],
      "problemMatcher": "$msCompile"
    }
  ]
}

Alternatively you can use VS Code to generate launch.json and tasks.json.

1. Click Debug icon.
2. Click create a launch.json file.
3. Click .NET Core.

Open a project with VS Code.

Put a breakpoint (F9) on a line that you want to pause a program and inspect value of a variable.

Start a program by pressing F5 or go to Run > Start Debugging.

• If you want to debug LINQ, put a cursor on Lambda expression and go to Run > New Breakpoint > Inline Breakpoint.
• You can also put a cursor on a lambda expression and press F9.

A program will be launched and pause on a line that you put a breakpoint.

You can inspect current values of variables in variable window, add variable to watch and see call stack.

If we set "console": "externalTerminal" option in launch.json, we will get Unable to launch debugger worker process (vsdbg) through the terminal. spawn xterm ENOENT error message.

We can use dotnet run in an external terminal to run our .NET project and then attach a debugger.

For a console app, we may need to add checking Debugger.IsAttached at the beginning of the main method as the following code:

    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        while (!Debugger.IsAttached)
        {
            Thread.Sleep(100);
        }
    }

Add .NET Core Attach configuration to launch.json file.

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": ".NET Core Attach",
      "type": "coreclr",
      "request": "attach"
    }
  ]
}

In an external terminal, CD to the root of our project and execute dotnet run.

$ dotnet run

Go back to VS Code. Put a breakpoint to a line that you want a pause a program.

Click Debug icon.

Change to .NET Core Attach configuration.

Click Start Debugging button or press F5.

Select a process that has a name matches to our project name.

A program has been paused at a breakpoint and we can now start debugging, inspecting a value.