VS Code Extension Installation

The SentriFlow VS Code extension provides real-time validation of network configuration files directly in your editor. Get instant feedback on security issues, misconfigurations, and compliance violations as you work.

Prerequisites

• VS Code version 1.85.0 or later
• Node.js 18+ (for the SentriFlow language server)

Installation Methods

# Install from marketplace
code --install-extension sentriflow.sentriflow-vscode
 
# Install from VSIX file
code --install-extension sentriflow-vscode-1.0.0.vsix

Initial Configuration

After installation, configure the extension for your environment:

1. File Associations

The extension automatically validates files with these extensions:

• .conf - Configuration files
• .cfg - Configuration files
• .txt - Text files (when in a config directory)

To add custom file associations, update your VS Code settings:

{
  "files.associations": {
    "*.config": "sentriflow",
    "*.network": "sentriflow"
  }
}

2. Vendor Selection

Set the default vendor for automatic detection:

{
  "sentriflow.defaultVendor": "cisco-ios"
}

Or use file-based detection with header comments:

! sentriflow: vendor=cisco-ios
hostname Router1
...

3. Severity Threshold

Control which issues appear in the Problems panel:

{
  "sentriflow.minimumSeverity": "warning"
}

Options: "error", "warning", "info"

Workspace Configuration

For team consistency, add settings to your workspace:

{
  "sentriflow.defaultVendor": "cisco-ios",
  "sentriflow.minimumSeverity": "warning",
  "sentriflow.customRules": [
    "${workspaceFolder}/rules/org-security.json"
  ],
  "sentriflow.excludePatterns": [
    "**/test-configs/**",
    "**/examples/**"
  ]
}

Verify Installation

hostname TestRouter
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
 ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
 no shutdown
!
line vty 0 4
 transport input telnet

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Loading

1. Check VS Code version: Help > About
2. Verify extension is enabled: Extensions > SentriFlow > Enable
3. Check Output panel: View > Output then select “SentriFlow”

No Diagnostics Appearing

1. Verify file association: Status bar should show “SentriFlow”
2. Check minimum severity setting
3. Try setting vendor explicitly in file header

Language Server Errors

# Check Node.js version
node --version  # Should be 18.0.0 or higher

High Memory Usage

For large configuration files, enable incremental validation:

{
  "sentriflow.incrementalValidation": true,
  "sentriflow.maxFileSize": 1000000
}

Updating the Extension

The extension auto-updates by default. To update manually:

1. Open Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X)
2. Click the gear icon on SentriFlow
3. Select “Check for Extension Updates”

Uninstalling

1. Open Extensions view
2. Find SentriFlow
3. Click Uninstall
4. Reload VS Code

Next Steps

• Settings Reference - All configuration options
• Features Guide - UI features walkthrough
• Quick Start - First validation tutorial