Okay, first of all: I am new to VSC and Python. I developed 20 years with VBA mainly, and this is my first project that I am trying to do with Python.

I have installed Python and Visual Studio Code (VSC), installed Python extensions for VSC and Postman. Now I want to run my project by hitting Ctrl + F5.

The Terminal shows all messages as if I typed python main.py, but when I am checking the first microservice at localhost:8001, it says it is unable to connect. Running the project by typing python main.py produces the same export, but I am able to connect to localhost:8001 and other microservices.

From what I read, I am supposed to have a launch.json file, that should encompass all run and debug configurations. My launch.json looks like this:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Python: Current File",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}",
      "console": "integratedTerminal"
    },
    {
      "name": "Python: main.py",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${workspaceFolder}\main.py",
      "console": "integratedTerminal"
    }
  ]
}

Aside from the fact that the editor is recommending to replace "python" with "debugpy", nothing changed the behaviour described above. I read somewhere that VSC is “automagically” deciding, whether you are running a project witout or with debug and that the user has just to have a configuration for the debug case. But this sounds all … special … to me.

I also tried something that a friend recommended with a "compounds" section in launch.json, but neither did I understand, why I should do that, nor did it solve anything. 😛

Okay, long story short:

1. What should my launch.json look like.
2. Is there a way to automatically start the virtual environment of a project when hitting (Ctrl + ) F5?
3. How can I test – maybe with a minimal working example – whether I found the correct launch.json?
4. Do you have other tips that would help me finding my way? 😉

Thank you very much in advance!