How do I connect Calva to my Clojure project in VS Code?

Use the 'Jack in' command from the command palette; Calva automatically sets up REPL connections for supported build tools like deps or Leiningen. For custom setups, you can configure Connect sequences as documented on calva.io.

Calva vs CIDER: which is better for Clojure development?

Calva is tailored for VS Code users and offers similar features like REPL integration and Paredit, while CIDER is for Emacs with a longer history. Choose based on your editor preference; Calva is excellent if you're already in VS Code and want an integrated experience.

Does Calva work with shadow-cljs builds?

Yes, Calva has built-in support for shadow-cljs. You can Jack in to shadow-cljs projects and easily switch between different builds via the REPL management features, making it ideal for ClojureScript development.

How to turn off telemetry in Calva?

Disable 'calva.telemetryEnabled' in VS Code settings, and also adjust VS Code's telemetry level if needed. This stops Calva from collecting usage data, addressing privacy concerns for sensitive environments.

What are the common quirks when using Calva?

Check the 'Quirks' section on calva.io for known issues, such as REPL connection problems with certain tools or unexpected behaviors in structural editing. The community often provides workarounds in the documentation or Slack channel.

How to run tests in Calva?

Use the integrated test runner via commands or keybindings; Calva allows running individual tests or entire suites with results displayed in the editor. It supports various testing frameworks and integrates with the REPL for interactive testing.

Open-Awesome

Calva (VSCode)

NOASSERTIONTypeScriptv2.0.594

An integrated, REPL-powered development environment for Clojure and ClojureScript in Visual Studio Code.

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2.1k stars248 forks0 contributors

What is Calva (VSCode)?

Calva is a feature-rich IDE extension for Visual Studio Code that provides integrated, REPL-powered development for Clojure and ClojureScript. It solves the problem of fragmented tooling by offering inline evaluation, structural editing, debugging, linting, and test running all within a familiar editor environment.

Target Audience

Clojure and ClojureScript developers who use Visual Studio Code and want a cohesive, productive development experience without switching to a different IDE.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Calva for its deep integration with VS Code, comprehensive feature set inspired by CIDER, and focus on making Clojure accessible to newcomers while remaining powerful for experts.

Overview

Clojure & ClojureScript Interactive Programming for VS Code

Use Cases

Best For

Interactive Clojure/ClojureScript development with inline REPL evaluation
Learning Clojure with guided tooling in a familiar editor
Structural editing and refactoring of Clojure code using Paredit
Debugging Clojure and ClojureScript applications directly in VS Code
Running and managing Clojure test suites within the editor
Switching between Clojure and ClojureScript REPLs when working on .cljc files

Not Ideal For

Developers entrenched in Emacs who rely on CIDER's mature ecosystem and community plugins
Projects primarily using Boot as the build tool, since Calva lacks Jack-in support and has limited functionality for it
Teams preferring minimal editor setups without extensive IDE-like features or telemetry collection
Environments requiring server-side Clojure development with zero JavaScript or browser-based tooling

Pros & Cons

Pros

Inline REPL Evaluation

Execute Clojure and ClojureScript code snippets directly in VS Code with immediate feedback, enabling interactive development and rapid prototyping as shown in the demo gifs.

Robust Structural Editing

Implements Paredit for precise navigation and manipulation of balanced parentheses, making Clojure code editing intuitive and reducing errors, with visual guides and rainbow brackets.

Integrated Debugger and Tests

Provides a built-in debugger for stepping through code and a test runner for managing suites within the editor, streamlining debugging and testing workflows.

Advanced Code Analysis

Leverages clojure-lsp for static analysis features like go-to-definition, find references, and rename symbol, enhancing code navigation and refactoring capabilities.

Multi-tool REPL Management

Supports various build tools like deps, Leiningen, and shadow-cljs, allowing seamless REPL connections and switching between Clojure/ClojureScript sessions, especially for .cljc files.

Cons

Limited Boot Support

For Boot projects, Calva only supports Connect scenarios without Jack-in functionality, which can hinder seamless integration and REPL startup for teams using Boot.

Performance Trade-offs

Features like rich result display were removed due to high memory usage, indicating potential performance concerns in memory-intensive scenarios or with large codebases.

Acknowledged Quirks

The documentation includes a 'Quirks' section, suggesting users may encounter unexpected behaviors or need workarounds, which can add friction to the development experience.

Default Telemetry

Calva collects usage data by default, which might raise privacy concerns for some developers, though it can be disabled in settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

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