# Could not start Julia server; problem with julia.executablePath (on MacOS)

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779>\
**Category:** New to Julia\
**Tags:** vscode\
**Created:** [June 14, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779 "2022-06-14T20:49:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fsmith001](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fsmith001/32/37173_2.png) [@fsmith001](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fsmith001)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/1 "2022-06-14T20:49:09Z")

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Hello everyone. I’m just getting started using VS Code with the Julia extension and when I try to run some very simple Julia code, this error comes up about the executable Path: “Could not start the Julia language server. Make sure the configuration setting julia.executablePath points to the Julia binary.” When I go to the settings it suggests, it says it points to the Julia executable, but I’m not sure if there’s something else I need to write in the box below to configure things correctly? Thank you!

 ![Screen Shot 2022-06-14 at 3.42.58 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/d/4/d490a55c69d83e76f5a38dfb567be1251dcf6316.png)

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**Author:** ![oheil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/oheil/32/220745_2.png) [@oheil](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/oheil)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/2 "2022-06-14T21:29:50Z")

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For example

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/1/1/110db92df0096cece8ecd30949ee16b451056d0a.png)

should do.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fsmith001](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fsmith001/32/37173_2.png) [@fsmith001](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fsmith001)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/3 "2022-06-14T23:05:40Z")

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I need to use my current path in the box? How do I figure out what that is?  
Thanks.

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**Author:** ![jd-foster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/jd-foster/32/35824_2.png) [@jd-foster](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jd-foster)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 12:30am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/4 "2022-06-15T00:30:47Z")

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You don’t need to add your Julia installation path in the box, as the Julia VSCode extension says:

> If you have installed Julia into a standard location on Mac or Windows, or if the Julia binary is on your `PATH` , the Julia VS Code extension should automatically find your Julia installation and you should not need to configure anything.

What operating system are you using?  
Where did you download and unzip the Julia binary from [Download Julia](https://julialang.org/downloads/)?

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**Author:** ![oheil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/oheil/32/220745_2.png) [@oheil](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/oheil)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 7:53am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/5 "2022-06-15T07:53:28Z")

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> [@fsmith001](#):
>
> I need to use my current path in the box?

If it’s not automatically found by VSCode , yes, you need to give the path to the executable of Julia.

> [@fsmith001](#):
>
> How do I figure out what that is?

And this depends on your system. On Windows you can right click on the symbol of Julia and open the properties and see the path.

BY THE WAY: you have Julia installed?  
Because you only say VSCode + Julia-Extension. This is not enough, you need to install Julia itself.  
But tell us on which system you are, there may be better ways to install Julia.  
For Windows e.g. install Julia from the Microsoft Store. With that you don’t have specify the executable in VSCode.

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**Author:** ![fsmith001](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fsmith001/32/37173_2.png) [@fsmith001](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fsmith001)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/6 "2022-06-15T15:08:53Z")

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I am using a Mac. I have Julia installed, I dowloaded the Mac version from [julialang.org](http://julialang.org) and unzipped it in a folder on my desktop.

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**Author:** ![fsmith001](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fsmith001/32/37173_2.png) [@fsmith001](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fsmith001)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/7 "2022-06-15T15:12:42Z")

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I re-downloaded Julia and restarted VSCode, wrote a couple lines of simple code and tried to run it and this error appeared: “Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘file’); Open ‘launch.json’” and when I open that, this is what is there. Do I need to change something here?

 ![Screen Shot 2022-06-15 at 10.10.22 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/9/6/96b9173dc9ab0b2ccc89e883f15b88baf44ce3ba.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oheil](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/oheil/32/220745_2.png) [@oheil](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/oheil)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/8 "2022-06-15T15:13:53Z")

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We need some Mac users here to help…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![benz0li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/benz0li/32/37040_2.png) [@benz0li](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/benz0li)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/9 "2022-06-15T15:30:54Z")

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If you downloaded [https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/mac/x64/1.7/julia-1.7.3-mac64.dmg](https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/mac/x64/1.7/julia-1.7.3-mac64.dmg), copy Julia-1.7.app into the Applications folder.  
 → I’m not sure though, if VS Code picks up this install location. (Maybe a restart of VS Code is required)

If you downloaded [https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/mac/x64/1.7/julia-1.7.3-mac64.tar.gz](https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/mac/x64/1.7/julia-1.7.3-mac64.tar.gz), you need to extract it to a location that is in `PATH`.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![benz0li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/benz0li/32/37040_2.png) [@benz0li](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/benz0li)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/10 "2022-06-15T15:32:55Z")

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I am installing Julia via [MacPorts](https://www.macports.org) which uses `/opt/local/bin` as install location and adds it automatically to `PATH`.

(Terminal.app: `echo $PATH`)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![benz0li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/benz0li/32/37040_2.png) [@benz0li](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/benz0li)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/11 "2022-06-15T15:34:17Z")

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There is also [JupyterLab + code-server + Julia](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/jupyterlab-code-server-julia/82808) 😉.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fsmith001](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fsmith001/32/37173_2.png) [@fsmith001](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fsmith001)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/could-not-start-julia-server-problem-with-julia-executablepath-on-macos/82779/12 "2022-06-15T15:42:23Z")

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Thank you, this worked!