Dead Code Detector
A VS Code extension that detects unused files, exports, and local variables/functions across TypeScript, JavaScript, Vue, Svelte, Python, Go, Java, Dart/Flutter, and PHP/Laravel projects.
Supported Languages
- TypeScript / JavaScript (
.ts, .tsx, .js, .jsx, .mts, .cts, .mjs, .cjs)
- Vue (
.vue single-file components)
- Svelte (
.svelte components)
- Python (
.py)
- Go (
.go)
- Java (
.java)
- Dart / Flutter (
.dart)
- PHP / Laravel (
.php)
Features
- Unused File Detection (F-01): Finds files that are not imported by any other file in the project
- Unused Export Detection (F-02): Finds exported symbols that are never imported elsewhere
- Unused Local Detection (F-03): Finds local variables and functions that are declared but never referenced
- Report Generation (F-04): Export analysis results as HTML, JSON, Markdown, or CSV
Quick Start
- Install the extension
- Open a TypeScript/JavaScript project
- Run
Dead Code: Analyze Project from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
- View results in the Dead Code panel in the Explorer sidebar
Commands
| Command |
Description |
Dead Code: Analyze Project |
Analyze all files in the workspace |
Dead Code: Analyze Current File |
Analyze the currently active file |
Dead Code: Export Report |
Export results as HTML/JSON/Markdown/CSV |
Dead Code: Clear Results |
Clear all analysis results |
Configuration
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
deadCodeDetector.include |
["**/*.ts", "**/*.tsx", "**/*.js", "**/*.jsx", "**/*.mts", "**/*.cts", "**/*.mjs", "**/*.cjs", "**/*.vue", "**/*.svelte", "**/*.py", "**/*.go", "**/*.java", "**/*.dart", "**/*.php"] |
Glob patterns for files to include in analysis |
deadCodeDetector.exclude |
["**/node_modules/**", "**/dist/**", "**/build/**", "**/coverage/**", "**/.next/**", "**/.nuxt/**", "**/.output/**", "**/.svelte-kit/**", "**/.claude/**", "**/*.d.ts", "**/*.test.*", "**/*.spec.*", "**/__tests__/**", "**/__pycache__/**", "**/.venv/**", "**/venv/**", "**/vendor/**", "**/*_test.go", "**/target/**", "**/Test*.java", "**/*Test.java", "**/*Test.php", "**/*.spec.php", "**/tests/**"] |
Glob patterns for files to exclude from analysis |
deadCodeDetector.entryPoints |
[] |
Entry point files (their exports are always considered used). Auto-detected from package.json, pubspec.yaml, composer.json, and framework conventions if empty |
deadCodeDetector.analyzeOnSave |
true |
Automatically analyze the current file on save |
deadCodeDetector.reportFormat |
"html" |
Default report export format (html, json, markdown, csv) |
deadCodeDetector.confidenceThreshold |
"medium" |
Minimum confidence level to report (high = only certain dead code, low = include possible false positives) |
deadCodeDetector.ignorePatterns |
[] |
Additional glob patterns to exclude from reported results (e.g., generated files or files with specific decorators) |
deadCodeDetector.enabledLanguages |
["typescript", "python", "go", "java", "dart", "php"] |
Languages to include in dead code analysis |
deadCodeDetector.entryPointDecorators |
[] |
Additional decorator/annotation names (without @) that mark a class or function as a DI entry point (e.g. ["MyCustomDecorator"]). Built-in DI decorators (Injectable, Component, Service, etc.) are recognized automatically |
deadCodeDetector.containerFiles |
[] |
Glob patterns for DI container registration files. All imports in these files are treated as used (e.g. ["**/container.ts", "**/di.ts"]) |
deadCodeDetector.alwaysUsedPatterns |
[] |
Export name glob patterns that are always considered used and never reported as dead code (e.g. ["*Repository", "*Service"]) |
Confidence Levels
Results are categorized by confidence:
- High: Local variables/functions with zero references (very reliable)
- Medium: Named exports with no external imports
- Low: Files with potential side effects or re-exports, framework conventional exports/entry points, DI-decorated symbols, findings that are part of a mutually-referencing dead cluster (files/exports only reachable from each other, never from a real entry point), and unused function parameters — all of these are more prone to false positives, so they ship at
low/medium confidence rather than high
How It Works
- Scanning: Uses
fast-glob to collect all matching source files
- Parsing: Uses the TypeScript Compiler API (and language-specific parsers for Python/Go/Java/Dart/PHP) to parse and analyze ASTs
- Graph Building: Constructs a dependency graph tracking imports, exports, and local symbols
- Reachability: Walks the graph from auto-detected or configured entry points to determine which files and exports are actually reachable, rather than relying on import counts alone
- Member Matching: Falls back to name-based member matching (e.g., matching a method name across a namespace/wildcard import) when static resolution of the exact declaration is not possible
- Detection: Identifies unused code by checking the graph for unreferenced or unreachable nodes
- Reporting: Presents results via TreeView, Diagnostics (Problems panel), and exportable reports
Namespace Import Handling
For conservative analysis, import * as X from './module' marks ALL exports of ./module as used, since static analysis cannot determine which properties are accessed at runtime.
Development
# Install dependencies
pnpm install
# Build
pnpm build
# Watch mode
pnpm watch
# Run tests
pnpm test
# Type check
pnpm type-check
# Lint
pnpm lint
Requirements
- VS Code 1.85.0 or later
- TypeScript/JavaScript project with
tsconfig.json or jsconfig.json
Changelog
See CHANGELOG.md for a full list of changes in each release.
License
MIT
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