Claude Code on WSL

Claude Code — LSP Setup

Claude Code uses Language Server Protocol (LSP) to navigate code semantically — finding definitions, references, and types — instead of falling back to text search. This gives Claude more accurate context when reading and editing code.

For each language you use, you need:

The language server binaries on your PATH (see sections below)
The official LSP plugins installed in Claude Code
The installed plugins enabled in ~/.claude/settings.json

Install the official plugins

Inside Claude Code, run /plugin and install these official plugins:

pyright-lsp
typescript-lsp
gopls-lsp
rust-analyzer-lsp

Install only the plugins for languages you use. If already installed, enable them in settings. The example below shows all four; merge only your selected entries.

Enable the installed plugins

Merge these keys into your existing ~/.claude/settings.json file. Do not replace the whole file if you already have hooks, attribution, or other settings:

{
  "enabledPlugins": {
    "pyright-lsp@claude-plugins-official": true,
    "typescript-lsp@claude-plugins-official": true,
    "gopls-lsp@claude-plugins-official": true,
    "rust-analyzer-lsp@claude-plugins-official": true
  }
}

TypeScript / JavaScript

npm install -g typescript typescript-language-server

Uses nvm? The binary lands in the active Node version’s bin — no PATH changes needed.

Python — pyright

Pyright is Microsoft’s Python type checker. With Node.js available (for example through nvm), install its npm package:

npm install -g pyright

This follows Pyright’s installation guide and avoids changing Ubuntu’s system Python packages. With nvm, the executable is in the active Node version’s bin directory. The LSP plugin uses pyright-langserver; pyright is the companion command-line checker.

Go — gopls

Check the Go toolchain you already have:

go version

If you need to install or update Go, follow the official installation guide for your architecture. Distro package versions vary; do not unpack a new release on top of an existing Go tree. Check the gopls requirements when choosing a toolchain.

go install golang.org/x/tools/gopls@latest

The executable goes to go env GOBIN when that is set, or the bin directory under go env GOPATH otherwise (normally ~/go/bin). Add that directory to PATH.

Rust — rust-analyzer

If Rust is not installed, install it with rustup:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

Then load the Rust environment and explicitly install the language server:

. "$HOME/.cargo/env"
rustup component add rust-analyzer

The executable is available through ~/.cargo/bin/rust-analyzer. This is the rust-analyzer installation procedure.

PATH — add to `~/.bashrc`

# LSP tooling paths
export PATH="$HOME/go/bin:$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
if [ -f "$HOME/.cargo/env" ]; then
  . "$HOME/.cargo/env"
fi

Keep only the paths for tools you installed. If you set a custom GOBIN or GOPATH, use its actual bin directory. The file check allows shells without a Rust installation to load normally.

Verify

source ~/.bashrc
command -v typescript-language-server
command -v pyright-langserver
command -v gopls
command -v rust-analyzer

# Run for the tools you installed:
typescript-language-server --version
pyright --version
gopls version
rust-analyzer --version

These commands target Ubuntu’s default bash; if you use zsh, use ~/.zshrc instead.

Then restart Claude Code, run /plugin, and confirm the plugins you selected are installed and enabled. In a project using one of those languages, ask Claude to find a symbol definition and confirm the LSP tool is used.

Troubleshooting

gopls: command not found

Check go env GOBIN GOPATH and put the corresponding bin directory on PATH.
Check go version against the linked gopls requirements.

An old pip-based install fails with “externally-managed-environment”

Use the npm installation above; it does not modify system Python.
Check command -v pyright-langserver to ensure the plugin finds the intended copy.

rust-analyzer: command not found after rustup

Run rustup component add rust-analyzer to install it explicitly.
Ensure ~/.cargo/bin is in PATH and restart your shell.

typescript-language-server: command not found

Confirm Node is active: node --version.
With nvm, run nvm use or set a default: nvm alias default node.

Remove

Use /plugin to disable or uninstall only the LSP plugins you added. Remove their entries from enabledPlugins. Keep other plugins and settings.

Language servers may also be used by your editor. If no other tools need them, remove npm packages with npm uninstall -g pyright or npm uninstall -g typescript-language-server typescript, as appropriate. Remove only your installed gopls binary from the location reported above. To remove the Rust component, use rustup component remove rust-analyzer. Keep the Go/Rust toolchains and shared PATH entries if other projects use them.

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