"Variables" section missing on debugger

[mattjohnsonpint]

What version of Go, VS Code & VS Code Go extension are you using?

Version Information

• Run go version to get version of Go from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • go version go1.24.3 darwin/arm64
• Run gopls -v version to get version of Gopls from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • golang.org/x/tools/gopls v0.18.1
• Run code -v or code-insiders -v to get version of VS Code or VS Code Insiders.
  • 1.100.2
• Check your installed extensions to get the version of the VS Code Go extension
  • 0.46.1
• Run Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac OS) > Go: Locate Configured Go Tools command.

# Tools Configuration


## Environment

GOBIN: undefined
toolsGopath: 
gopath: /Users/matt/go
GOROOT: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.24.3/libexec
PATH: /Users/matt/.pyenv/shims:/Users/matt/.wasmer/bin:/Users/matt/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin:/Users/matt/.hypermode/cli/bin:/Users/matt/Library/pnpm:/Users/matt/.wasmtime/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/opt/homebrew/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin:/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin:/usr/local/share/dotnet:~/.dotnet/tools:/Users/matt/.cargo/bin:/Users/matt/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox/scripts:/Users/matt/go/bin

## Tools

	go:	/opt/homebrew/bin/go: go version go1.24.3 darwin/arm64

	gopls:	/Users/matt/go/bin/gopls	(version: v0.18.1 built with go: go1.24.0)
	gotests:	/Users/matt/go/bin/gotests	(version: v1.6.0 built with go: go1.24.0)
	gomodifytags:	/Users/matt/go/bin/gomodifytags	(version: v1.17.0 built with go: go1.24.0)
	impl:	/Users/matt/go/bin/impl	(version: v1.4.0 built with go: go1.24.0)
	goplay:	/Users/matt/go/bin/goplay	(version: v1.0.0 built with go: go1.24.0)
	dlv:	/Users/matt/go/bin/dlv	(version: v1.24.0 built with go: go1.24.0)
	staticcheck:	/Users/matt/go/bin/staticcheck	(version: v0.6.0 built with go: go1.24.0)

## Go env

Workspace Folder (myapp): /Users/matt/Code/temp/gotemp/myapp

	AR='ar'
	CC='cc'
	CGO_CFLAGS='-O2 -g'
	CGO_CPPFLAGS=''
	CGO_CXXFLAGS='-O2 -g'
	CGO_ENABLED='1'
	CGO_FFLAGS='-O2 -g'
	CGO_LDFLAGS='-O2 -g'
	CXX='c++'
	GCCGO='gccgo'
	GO111MODULE=''
	GOARCH='arm64'
	GOARM64='v8.0'
	GOAUTH='netrc'
	GOBIN=''
	GOCACHE='/Users/matt/Library/Caches/go-build'
	GOCACHEPROG=''
	GODEBUG=''
	GOENV='/Users/matt/Library/Application Support/go/env'
	GOEXE=''
	GOEXPERIMENT=''
	GOFIPS140='off'
	GOFLAGS=''
	GOGCCFLAGS='-fPIC -arch arm64 -pthread -fno-caret-diagnostics -Qunused-arguments -fmessage-length=0 -ffile-prefix-map=/var/folders/sf/btdk_dj52jx9lpzxfq01q9d00000gn/T/go-build3629973843=/tmp/go-build -gno-record-gcc-switches -fno-common'
	GOHOSTARCH='arm64'
	GOHOSTOS='darwin'
	GOINSECURE=''
	GOMOD='/Users/matt/Code/temp/gotemp/myapp/go.mod'
	GOMODCACHE='/Users/matt/go/pkg/mod'
	GONOPROXY=''
	GONOSUMDB=''
	GOOS='darwin'
	GOPATH='/Users/matt/go'
	GOPRIVATE=''
	GOPROXY='https://proxy.golang.org,direct'
	GOROOT='/opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.24.3/libexec'
	GOSUMDB='sum.golang.org'
	GOTELEMETRY='local'
	GOTELEMETRYDIR='/Users/matt/Library/Application Support/go/telemetry'
	GOTMPDIR=''
	GOTOOLCHAIN='auto'
	GOTOOLDIR='/opt/homebrew/Cellar/go/1.24.3/libexec/pkg/tool/darwin_arm64'
	GOVCS=''
	GOVERSION='go1.24.3'
	GOWORK=''
	PKG_CONFIG='pkg-config'

Share the Go related settings you have added/edited

Only the default:

"go.toolsManagement.autoUpdate": true,

Describe the bug

Somehow, not sure when, the "Variables" window has disappeared from the debugger. I only have "Watch", "Call Stack" and "Breakpoints".

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

• Make a simple app with at least one local variable
• Set a breakpoint
• Launch the debugger
• Notice there's no "Variables" tab

Screenshots or recordings

[mattjohnsonpint]

... and no, it's not disabled on the ... menu. It's not even there.

[mattjohnsonpint]

Never mind - It's not specific to the Go debugger. I get it debugging JS as well.

I don't know what caused it, but I figured out how to fix it. Just in case someone else has this issue:

• From the top menu, select View, Open View..., then "Variables"
• It opens in its own debugger tab, but you can drag the Variables section from there and drop it onto the existing debugger tab