The Missing Dashboard: Why VS Code Issue #94744 Remains a Pain Point for Authors
A Four-Year Silence
In 2020, a GitHub issue was opened on the official VS Code repository: "Provide extension authors with more analytics" (Issue #94744). The request was simple: authors wanted to know how users find their extensions.
Fast forward to 2026, and the issue has been locked. While Microsoft has made minor improvements to the publisher dashboard, the "holy grail" of analytics—keyword ranking data—is still missing.
Why the Community is Frustrated
Imagine running a website without Google Search Console. You can see how many people visited, but you have no idea what they typed to find you. That is exactly the situation for VS Code extension authors today.
Current official metrics only show:
- Total Installs
- Uninstall counts
- Page views (sometimes)
But as developers, we need to know:
- "Am I ranking for 'Python' or 'Python Formatter'?"
- "Did my ranking drop after the last algorithm update?"
- "Which keywords are my competitors ranking for?"
The "Lock" that Changed Everything
When Microsoft locked the discussion on #94744, it signaled that native search analytics weren't coming anytime soon. The conversation didn't die, however; it simply moved. Developers realized that if the platform wouldn't provide the data, they would have to find it themselves.
Why We Built VSCodeRank
We followed that GitHub issue from the beginning. Like you, we were tired of "flying blind." We built VSCodeRank to provide the exact data that the community has been asking for in Issue #94744:
- SERP Tracking: Automated daily checks of where you appear in search results.
- Keyword Discovery: Seeing which terms actually drive visibility.
- Competitive Benchmarking: Understanding the marketplace landscape beyond just download counts.
Filling the Gap
Until the day Microsoft decides to open up the search API to publishers, authors must rely on community-built tools. Tracking your ranking isn't just about vanity—it's about understanding your users' intent.
If you've been waiting for Issue #94744 to be "resolved" before taking your SEO seriously, it's time to change strategy. The data exists; you just have to use the right tools to see it.
Start Tracking Today
Stop guessing your rank. Start tracking your keywords for free on VSCodeRank and finally get the analytics Microsoft won't provide.