Configuring schema validation for VSCode

1. Install a YAML File Editor

Install the YAML Language Support by Red Hat plugin to enable YAML syntax and validation in your VSCode. This will also allow your VSCode to validate YAML by using schema files.

2. Acquire DBB Schema Files

Copy the buildConfigurationSchema.json build configuration schema and applicationConfigurationSchema.json application configuration schema from the samples folder in your DBB installation directory or download them directly from the links in Schema JSON files.

Alternatively, you can skip this step and use our publicly-hosted schema samples that are provided on the DBB Community Repository.

Then, configure VSCode to use these schemas in validating your configurations.

3. Open the yaml.schemas property in settings.json

Click the gear wheel in the bottom left of your editor and click Settings.

Search for Yaml: Schemas and press the Edit in settings.json label to open your settings.json.

4. Add Schema File Paths as Properties

Add the two schemas as items under the yaml.schemas property as shown:

"yaml.schemas": {
    "file:///c%3A/path/to/applicationConfigurationSchema.json": [
        
    ],
    "file:///c%3A/path/to/buildConfigurationSchema.json": [
        
    ],
}

Alternatively, you can use the schema hosted on our DBB Community Repository as shown:

"yaml.schemas": {
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IBM/dbb/refs/heads/main/Schema/applicationConfigurationSchema.json": [
        
    ],
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IBM/dbb/refs/heads/main/Schema/buildConfigurationSchema.json": [
        
    ],
}

Review the community repository schema README for information on legacy schema.

5. Add File Patterns to Schema

Any files open in your editor that match one of the file patterns underneath one of the schemas will use that schema for validation. Below are a list of suggested file patterns that can be used to match common scenarios. Note that if you edit any YAML files other than zBuilder ones, they might use this schema as well if your patterns are too broad.

"yaml.schemas": {
    "file:///c%3A/path/to/applicationConfigurationSchema.json": [
        "dbb-app.yaml",
        "MortgageApplication/**-app.yaml"
    ],
    "file:///c%3A/path/to/buildConfigurationSchema.json": [
        "dbb-build.yaml",
        "Languages.yaml",
        "Cobol.yaml",
        "Assembler.yaml",
        "BMS.yaml",
        "CobolTestcase.yaml",
        "Db2Binds.yaml",
        "LinkEdit.yaml",
        "PLI.yaml"
    ],
}