Use --follow-symlinks in VSCE package command and simplify build logic (#5212)

* Initial plan for issue
* Add --follow-symlinks flag to VSCE and simplify build logic
* Add --follow-symlinks flag to vsce publish command
* Address review feedback: remove --follow-symlinks from publish, simplify build logic, add assertion
* Remove conditional check and always call Invoke-Build

---------

Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: andyleejordan <[email protected]>

Author: Copilot

package.json

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
     "watch": "npm run compile -- --watch",
     "lint": "eslint src test --ext .ts",
     "format": "prettier --check '**/*.{ts,json,yml,mjs,code-workspace}'",
-    "package": "vsce package --out out/ --no-gitHubIssueLinking",
+    "package": "vsce package --out out/ --no-gitHubIssueLinking --follow-symlinks",
     "publish": "vsce publish",
     "pretest": "npm run compile",
     "test": "vscode-test"

vscode-powershell.build.ps1

@@ -33,39 +33,16 @@ task RestoreNodeOptional -If { !(Test-Path ./node_modules/eslint) } {
 }
 
 task RestoreEditorServices -If (Get-EditorServicesPath) {
-    switch ($Configuration) {
-        "Debug" {
-            # When debugging, we always rebuild PSES and ensure its symlinked so
-            # that developers always have the latest local bits.
-            if ((Get-Item ./modules -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).LinkType -ne "SymbolicLink") {
-                Write-Build DarkMagenta "Creating symbolic link to PSES"
-                Remove-BuildItem ./modules
-                New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path ./modules -Target "$(Split-Path (Get-EditorServicesPath))/module"
-            }
-
-            Write-Build DarkGreen "Building PSES"
-            Invoke-Build Build (Get-EditorServicesPath) -Configuration $Configuration
-        }
-        "Release" {
-            # When releasing, we ensure the bits are not symlinked but copied,
-            # and only if they don't already exist.
-            if ((Get-Item ./modules -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).LinkType -eq "SymbolicLink") {
-                Write-Build DarkRed "Deleting PSES symbolic link"
-                Remove-BuildItem ./modules
-            }
-
-            if (!(Test-Path ./modules)) {
-                # We only build if it hasn't been built at all.
-                if (!(Test-Path "$(Split-Path (Get-EditorServicesPath))/module/PowerShellEditorServices/bin")) {
-                    Write-Build DarkGreen "Building PSES"
-                    Invoke-Build Build (Get-EditorServicesPath) -Configuration $Configuration
-                }
-
-                Write-Build DarkGreen "Copying PSES"
-                Copy-Item -Recurse -Force "$(Split-Path (Get-EditorServicesPath))/module" ./modules
-            }
-        }
+    # With VSCE --follow-symlinks support, we can now use symlinks consistently
+    # for both Debug and Release configurations.
+    if ((Get-Item ./modules -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).LinkType -ne "SymbolicLink") {
+        Write-Build DarkMagenta "Creating symbolic link to PSES"
+        Remove-BuildItem ./modules
+        New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path ./modules -Target "$(Split-Path (Get-EditorServicesPath))/module"
     }
+
+    Write-Build DarkGreen "Building PSES"
+    Invoke-Build Build (Get-EditorServicesPath) -Configuration $Configuration
 }
 
 #endregion
@@ -131,15 +108,7 @@ task Package {
     New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force out | Out-Null
 
     Assert-Build (Test-Path ./dist/extension.js) "Extension must be built!"
-
-    # Packaging requires a copy of the modules folder, not a symbolic link. But
-    # we might have built in Debug configuration, not Release, and still want to
-    # package it. So delete the symlink and copy what we just built.
-    if ((Get-Item ./modules -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).LinkType -eq "SymbolicLink") {
-        Write-Build DarkRed "PSES is a symbolic link, replacing with copy!"
-        Remove-BuildItem ./modules
-        Copy-Item -Recurse -Force "$(Split-Path (Get-EditorServicesPath))/module" ./modules
-    }
+    Assert-Build (Test-Path ./modules/PowerShellEditorServices/bin) "PowerShell Editor Services must be built under modules!"
 
     if ($version.Minor % 2 -ne 0) {
         Write-Build DarkRed "This is a pre-release!"