# Debugging with ESP-IDF VS Code extension: Part 1

DevFeed: [Debugging with ESP-IDF VS Code extension: Part 1](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/debugging-with-esp-idf-vs-code-extension-part-1-13699.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://developer.espressif.com/blog/2025/05/debugging-with-vscode/>)

Author: John Lee

Published: 2025-05-20T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Blog on Developer Portal](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/blog-on-developer-portal.md>)

Topics: [debugging](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/debugging.md>), [VS Code Extension](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/vscode-extension.md>), [ESP-IDF](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp-idf.md>), [Espressif](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/espressif.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>), [Embedded Systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/embedded-systems.md>), [ESP32](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp32.md>), [ESP32-C3](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp32-c3.md>), [ESP32-C6](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp32-c6.md>), [ESP32-S3](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp32-s3.md>)

Tags: [blog](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog.md>), [debugging](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/debugging.md>), [embedded-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/embedded-systems.md>), [esp-idf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp-idf.md>), [esp32](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp32.md>), [esp32-c3](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp32-c3.md>), [esp32-c6](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp32-c6.md>), [esp32-s3](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp32-s3.md>), [espressif](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/espressif.md>), [guide](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/guide.md>), [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [jtag](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/jtag.md>), [vs-code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vs-code.md>)

## AI overview

This first part of a two-part guide explains how to set up debugging for Espressif devices in Visual Studio Code with the ESP-IDF Extension. It covers debugging concepts, required hardware, JTAG and USB connection paths, the associated tools, and starting the openOCD server.

## Source excerpt

This two-part guide shows how to set up VS Code with the ESP-IDF extension to debug Espressif boards using JTAG. This first part covers the debugging process, hardware setup and connections, and starting the openOCD server.