The Real-World Plugin Debugging Process That Actually Works
When your Prettier plugins start having a personality disorder, most tutorials tell you to "check your configuration"
- which is like telling someone with a broken leg to "try walking better." Here's the systematic debugging approach that fixes 95% of plugin conflicts without requiring a CS degree.
The official Prettier troubleshooting guide covers basic issues, but real-world plugin debugging requires a different approach. GitHub Issues for prettier-plugin-tailwindcss show thousands of configuration conflicts that follow predictable patterns.### Step 1:
Isolate the Problem (5 minutes)Don't debug multiple plugins at once. That's like trying to figure out which roommate ate your leftovers by interrogating all three at the same time.Create a minimal test file:```javascript// test.js
- covers most plugin functionalityimport { useState } from 'react'import clsx from 'clsx'export default function Button({ className }) { return ( <button className={clsx( 'px-4 py-2 bg-blue-500 text-white rounded hover:bg-blue-600 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-300', className )} > Click me )}
**Test each plugin individually:**bash# Test base Prettier (should work)npx prettier --write test.js# Test with only Tailwind pluginnpx prettier --write test.js --config='{"plugins":["prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"]}'# Test with only import organizernpx prettier --write test.js --config='{"plugins":["prettier-plugin-organize-imports"]}'```What you're looking for: - Which plugin breaks first?
- Does the error happen during parsing or formatting?
- Are there specific file types that fail?
If individual plugins work but combinations fail, you have a plugin conflict. If a single plugin fails, you have a configuration or version problem.### Step 2: Check Plugin Loading Order (The Most Common Fuckup)Plugin order isn't a suggestion
- it's the difference between working code and spending your Saturday debugging why your Tailwind classes aren't sorting. Prettier Plugin API documentation explains the loading mechanism, but doesn't give practical guidance.The Golden Rule: More specific plugins go first, general plugins go last.
json{"plugins": [ "prettier-plugin-svelte", // Framework-specific (most specific) "prettier-plugin-organize-imports", // Language feature "prettier-plugin-tailwindcss" // Styling (least specific) ]}**Why this order works:**1.
Svelte plugin handles component syntax first 2. Import organizer sorts imports without breaking Svelte parsing 3. Tailwind plugin sorts classes after file structure is stableTest your order:```bash# This should format everything correctlynpx prettier --write "src/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx,svelte}"# Check that all features work:#
- Imports are organized ✓#
- Tailwind classes are sorted ✓ #
- Svelte components aren't broken ✓```### Step 3:
Handle the Parser WarsDifferent plugins want to use different parsers for the same file types. This is like having three GPS systems arguing about which route to take
- you end up nowhere. Parser conflicts are documented but the solutions aren't obvious.The conflict you'll see:```Error:
Couldn't resolve parser "svelte" from "prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"**Fix with explicit parser overrides:**json{"plugins": [ "prettier-plugin-svelte", "prettier-plugin-tailwindcss" ], "overrides": [ { "files": ".svelte", "options": { "parser": "svelte" } }, { "files": [".js", ".jsx", ".ts", "*.tsx"], "options": { "parser": "typescript" } } ]}```Pro tip: When plugins fight over parsers, be explicit about which parser handles which files.
Don't let them negotiate.### Step 4: Debug VS Code Integration FailuresVS Code's Prettier extension has its own opinions about plugin loading that often conflict with your project configuration.
It's like your editor is gaslighting you about your own code. VS Code Prettier Extension Issues are filled with plugin-related problems.Common VS Code symptoms:
- Plugins work from command line but not in editor
- Formatting works sometimes but not others
- "Format Document" does nothing or throws errors
- Different formatting between save and manual formatNuclear option that actually works:
json// .vscode/settings.json{"prettier.configPath": "./.prettierrc.json", "prettier.ignorePath": "./.prettierignore", "prettier.requireConfig": true, "prettier.resolveGlobalModules": false, "prettier.useEditorConfig": false, "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode", "editor.formatOnSave": true, "[javascript]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "[typescript]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "[svelte]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "svelte.svelte-vscode" }}Key settings explained: requireConfig: true- Forces VS Code to use your project config
resolveGlobalModules: false- Prevents mixing global/local plugins
useEditorConfig: false- Stops EditorConfig from interferingRestart VS Code completely after changing these settings. "Reload Window" isn't enough.### Step 5:
Handle Package Manager Weirdness
Different package managers resolve plugins differently, leading to the same configuration working on one machine but failing on another. pnpm plugin resolution issues are particularly common, as are Yarn workspace problems.pnpm issues (most common):bash# Error: "Cannot resolve plugin prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"# Even though it's clearly installedFix for pnpm:json// .npmrcshamefully-hoist=trueFix for yarn workspaces:json// package.json{"prettier": { "plugins": ["prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"], "pluginSearchDirs": ["./node_modules", "../node_modules"] }}Fix for bun (experimental):bash# Use npm for Prettier plugins, bun for everything elsenpm install --save-dev prettier prettier-plugin-tailwindcssbun install### Step 6:
Version Compatibility Detective Work
Plugin authors don't always keep up with Prettier releases, and Prettier doesn't maintain backwards compatibility. This creates version hell where working setups randomly break after updates. Prettier's Breaking Changes changelog documents when plugin APIs change, and plugin compatibility tracking helps identify version conflicts.Check your versions first:bashnpm ls prettiernpm ls prettier-plugin-tailwindcssnpm ls prettier-plugin-organize-importsKnown working combinations (August 2025):json{"devDependencies": { "prettier": "3.6.2", "prettier-plugin-organize-imports": "4.1.0", "prettier-plugin-tailwindcss": "0.6.8", "prettier-plugin-svelte": "3.2.4" }}If you're stuck on older versions:bash# Lock to specific versions that work togethernpm install --save-dev --exact prettier@3.5.0npm install --save-dev --exact prettier-plugin-tailwindcss@0.5.14### Step 7:
CI/CD Debugging (When Local Works But CI Dies)Your plugins work perfectly locally but CI fails with mysterious errors. This usually means environment differences that aren't obvious. Common CI/CD formatting failures often relate to Node version differences or caching problems.Add plugin debugging to your CI:```yaml# .github/workflows/format-check.yml
- name:
Debug Prettier configuration run: | echo "Prettier version:" npx prettier --version echo "Available plugins:" npx prettier --help | grep -A 20 "Global flags" echo "Plugin resolution test:" node -e "console.log(require('prettier').getSupportInfo().languages)"
- name:
Test plugin loading run: | echo 'console.log("test")' | npx prettier --parser typescript --plugins prettier-plugin-organize-imports```**Most common CI fixes:**1. Node version mismatch: Lock to same version as local development 2. Missing node_modules cache: Plugins aren't installed properly 3. Different package manager: CI uses npm, local uses yarn/pnpm 4. Case sensitivity: File paths work on Mac/Windows but fail on Linux### The "Nothing Works" Nuclear OptionSometimes configuration gets so fucked up that the only solution is scorched earth.
Here's the reset that works 100% of the time:bash# Delete everythingrm -rf node_modules package-lock.json yarn.lock pnpm-lock.yamlrm .prettierrc .prettierrc.json .prettierrc.js prettier.config.js# Start with minimal working configecho '{"plugins":["prettier-plugin-tailwindcss"]}' > .prettierrc.json# Install exact versionsnpm install --save-dev --exact prettier@3.6.2npm install --save-dev --exact prettier-plugin-tailwindcss@0.6.8# Test basic functionalityecho 'const x = "bg-red-500 text-white p-4"' | npx prettier --parser typescriptIf this doesn't work, the problem isn't your configuration
- it's your environment, global installations, or VS Code extensions interfering.Remember: Prettier plugins are finicky as hell, but they follow predictable patterns. Debug systematically, test incrementally, and don't try to fix multiple problems at once. Most "configuration issues" are actually plugin loading, version conflicts, or editor integration problems that have nothing to do with your actual config file.