"Waiting for ZenML Client to initialize...." How to setup in VSCodium?

[JustGitting]

Hi,

I need help setting up ZenML Studio in VSCodium.

I've downloaded the latest (0.0.20) ZenML Studio VSIX file (https://github.com/zenml-io/vscode-zenml/releases/download/0.0.20/zenml.vsix) and installed it manually in VSCodium 1.96 ( MS Windows 10 Enterprise ).

I've setup a python virtual environment in VSCodium and installed zenml as follows:

python -m pip install zenml
zenml integration install mlflow -y
zenml integration install s3 -y

The zenml command works in the VSCodium (.venv) terminal:

(.venv) PS C:\Users\user1\Documents\Projects\ZenML\zenml-io> zenml --version
zenml, version 0.82.0

However, ZenML Studio is very slow finding the zenml installation:

2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] [Trace - 9:13:52 AM] Received notification 'window/logMessage'.
2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] ZenML LSP is initializing.
2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] [Trace - 9:13:52 AM] Received notification 'window/logMessage'.
2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] Sending custom notification: sanityCheck with args: ZenML LSP is initializing.
2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] [Trace - 9:13:52 AM] Received notification 'window/logMessage'.
2025-05-07 09:13:52.510 [info] Sending custom notification: zenml/client with args: {'status': 'pending'}
2025-05-07 09:14:03.701 [info] Python version 3.11.2 is supported.
2025-05-07 09:14:03.702 [info] Python version 3.11.2 is supported.
2025-05-07 10:02:32.322 [info] ✅ ZenML installation check: Successful.

Almost 48 minutes later...which may / may not be a problem (?).

To connect to the ZenML server, the instructions say:

2. Connect to ZenML Server: Use the ZenML: Connect command to connect to your ZenML server.

However, the command is not found in the VSCodium terminal.

(.venv) PS C:\Users\user1\Documents\Projects\ZenML\zenml-io> ZenML: Connect
ZenML: : The term 'ZenML:' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. ...

I can connect to the remote ZenML server using the zenml login command (the zenml connect command is depreciated).

(.venv) PS C:\Users\user1\Documents\Projects\ZenML\zenml-io> zenml login http://192.168.100.100:8080

It successfully connects to the remote ZenML server and ZenML Studio settings shows valid "Active Stack ID" and "Server Url" values in the extensions settings.

Yet, in the "ENVIRONMENT" tab of ZenML Studio, it still shows as exclamation mark for "ZenML Client".
In the SERVER tab it shows "Waiting for ZenML Client to initialize...."
STACKS, PROJECTS, STACK COMPONENTS, PIPELINE RUNS and MODELS show "Pending LSP and ZenML Client initialization."

Where do I run the "ZenML: Connect" command?

How do I initialise the zenml client?

Any advice appreciated to get this to work.

[marwan37]

Thanks for sharing the detailed logs and steps.

The extension hasn’t been thoroughly tested on Windows, and ZenML isn’t officially supported outside WSL, which might explain some of the issues.

Just to clarify, "ZenML: Connect" is a VSCode/VSCodium command palette command (Ctrl+Shift+P), not a terminal command:

And here's where you would see the connect option in the UI :

That 48-minute initialization time definitely isn't normal. It should only take a few minutes at most, and be near-instant after that.

Since zenml login works but the extension still hangs at “Waiting for ZenML Client to initialize,” this might be an environment detection issue between VSCodium and your virtualenv.

Try hitting the green refresh button in the Environment view to restart the LSP server. Also, restarting VSCodium after logging in via the terminal may help.

I’ll run some tests on Windows soon and follow up once I have more.

[JustGitting]

Just to clarify, "ZenML: Connect" is a VSCode/VSCodium command palette command (Ctrl+Shift+P), not a terminal command:

Ah, thanks! That's what I was missing. I can connect using that approach, now I have green ticks for ZenML Local Installation and ZenML Client.

Are you able to update your docs to mention it needs to be run via the Command Palette?

What's the difference between using the VSCodium command palette command (ZenML: Connect) and using the > zenml login command? They should both work right?

[marwan37]

Glad that helped! And yes, I'll update the docs. Thanks 🙂

There’s no real difference between zenml login and ZenML: Connect. they both do the same thing. The Connect command just runs zenml login under the hood for convenience.

[JustGitting]

Which means something is wrong in my installation somewhere.

Are they any logs that might help us pinpoint the problem? Or I can wait for you to do your testing with Windows and see what you find.