TurboCat – Apache Tomcat Extension for VS Code

TurboCat keeps Apache Tomcat development inside Visual Studio Code fast and predictable. The extension auto-detects your project layout, applies the right deployment strategy, and exposes one-click server controls with live feedback.

Highlights

Lifecycle control – start, stop, clean, reload, and debug Tomcat from either the command palette or a context-aware status-bar toolbar.
Smart deploy – dual file-system watchers handle static assets instantly and batch compiled Java class updates. Project type is detected automatically with optional one-time overrides.
Unified logs – all TurboCat and Tomcat output streams share a single channel, and every extension message is prefixed with 【turbocat】 for quick scanning.
Zero guessing – the extension locates Tomcat and the JDK, validates ports, and keeps workspace settings in sync.

Installation

Open Visual Studio Code.
Navigate to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X).
Search for TurboCat and click Install.

Daily Workflow

TurboCat: Start – boots Tomcat (debug mode available via TurboCat: Start in Debug Mode).
TurboCat: Deploy – detects Maven/Gradle/local layouts and executes the matching deployment pipeline without repeated prompts.
TurboCat: Clean – removes the active webapp deployment and its cached work/temp artifacts.
TurboCat: Reload – reloads the active context or restarts when necessary.

The status-bar toolbar hides actions that are not relevant to the current server state. When Tomcat is stopped you only see start/debug/deploy. Once the server is running the toolbar collapses to stop/reload/clean plus the smart deploy toggle. The Smart Deploy button now shows Smart Deploy or Smart Deploy (Off) so you can see the mode at a glance.

Configuration Snapshot

All settings live under the turbocat.* namespace. Key options:

Setting	Purpose	Notes
`turbocat.home` / `turbocat.javaHome`	Optional overrides for discovery	Prompted on first launch if left blank
`turbocat.port` / `turbocat.debugPort`	Server & debug ports	Validated and written back to Tomcat configuration
`turbocat.smartDeploy`	`Disable` or `Smart`	Enables dual-watcher deployment
`turbocat.smartDeployDebounce`	Batch delay for compiled classes	Default 300 ms
`turbocat.autoDeployBuildType`	Legacy fallback for smart deploy	Only used by background file watchers
`turbocat.preferredBuildType`	Forced build pipeline	Auto by default; set to Local/Maven/Gradle to skip prompts

Project Types

TurboCat autodetects common Java web structures:

Maven (pom.xml with WAR packaging) → runs mvn clean package.
Gradle (build.gradle / .kts) → runs the war task once and reuses the output.
Local / Eclipse-style (WebContent, src/main/webapp, or bin) → syncs files directly and compiles Java sources with javac.

When multiple layouts are detected, TurboCat asks for a single confirmation and persists the answer at the workspace level.

Logging

All output goes to a single VS Code Output channel named TurboCat.
Extension messages are prefixed with 【turbocat】[LEVEL] and keep optional timestamps.
Tomcat logs stream through untouched, including HTTP access logs—no more reformatting.

Getting Help

Open the TurboCat output channel for immediate diagnostics.
Verify turbocat.home, turbocat.javaHome, and port settings in VS Code.
Check the documentation in docs/ for architecture, development, and testing guidance.
To debug Java with TurboCat:
- Create .vscode/launch.json with:
```
{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "java",
      "name": "Attach to Tomcat (TurboCat)",
      "request": "attach",
      "hostName": "localhost",
      "port": 8000
    }
  ]
}
```
- Start Tomcat in debug mode via TurboCat: Start in Debug Mode.
- Launch the “Attach to Tomcat (TurboCat)” configuration from the VS Code Run and Debug panel.

If an issue persists, gather the output channel contents and file a ticket on the project tracker.

TurboCat

Awei