Pylance Import Resolution in VS Code

VS Code's Pylance language server sometimes fails to resolve Python imports even when packages are correctly installed. This guide covers common causes and solutions for import resolution issues.

Common Causes

Import resolution problems typically stem from:

• Incorrect Python interpreter selection
• Cached analysis data in Pylance
• Virtual environment configuration issues
• Workspace structure complications

Solutions

Select Correct Python Interpreter

Command Palette

# Press Ctrl+Shift+P, then select:
Python: Select Interpreter

settings.json

{
  "python.pythonPath": "path-to-interpreter/python.exe"
}

Choose the interpreter located in your project's virtual environment folder (typically venv/Scripts/python.exe on Windows or venv/bin/python on Unix systems).

Clear Pylance Cache

WARNING

Clearing cache will temporarily slow down analysis as Pylance rebuilds its database

1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
2. Select Python: Clear Cache and Reload Window

This forces Pylance to rescan your environment and often resolves stale import errors.

Configure Workspace Properly

For projects with nested structures:

project/
├── .vscode/
├── client/          # React frontend
└── server/          # Flask backend
    ├── app/
    ├── venv/        # Virtual environment
    ├── config.py
    └── requirements.txt

Open VS Code at the server/ level rather than the parent directory to ensure proper interpreter detection.

Install Packages in Active Environment

DANGER

Ensure you're installing to the correct environment

# Activate your virtual environment first
source venv/bin/activate  # Unix
venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows

# Then install requirements
pip install -r requirements.txt

Alternatively, specify the full path:

# Windows
.venv\Scripts\python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

# Unix
./venv/bin/python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

Configure Extra Paths for Pylance

If packages install to unusual locations:

1. Run pip --version to find site-packages path
2. Open VS Code settings
3. Search for Python › Analysis: Extra Paths
4. Add the site-packages path

Environment-Specific Solutions

Conda Users

Activate your conda environment before launching VS Code from the command line:

conda activate myenv
code .

ASDF Users

When using asdf version manager, select the shim path instead of the virtual environment path:

~/.asdf/shims/python

This ensures proper package resolution through asdf's environment management.

Verification

After applying fixes:

1. Check that the selected interpreter in VS Code matches your virtual environment
2. Verify packages are accessible in the integrated terminal
3. Restart VS Code if issues persist

Most import resolution problems are resolved by ensuring VS Code uses the correct Python interpreter with properly installed packages. The Python: Clear Cache and Reload Window command often provides immediate relief when configuration changes don't take effect.