For contingent consideration arrangements and indemnification assets recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the low-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120321790&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueLow
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), from recovery.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (h)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121582814&loc=SL82922900-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossRecovery
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), from change in present value of expected cash flows.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121558606&loc=SL82922868-210454

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121582814&loc=SL82922897-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleChangeInPresentValueExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of an intangible asset (excluding goodwill) to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16373-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of addition (reduction) to the amount at which a liability could be incurred (settled) in a current transaction between willing parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss from impairment of right-of-use asset from operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593497&loc=SL77918431-209957

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow, not made soon after acquisition date of business combination, to settle contingent consideration liability up to amount recognized at acquisition date, including, but not limited to, measurement period adjustment and less amount paid soon after acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentForContingentConsiderationLiabilityFinancingActivities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_RestructuringChargesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=cgnx_ChiaroTechnologiesLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=cgnx_GViVenturesInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2020	Jun. 28, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019	Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability	$ 0			$ 0		$ 0
Payment of contingent consideration		$ 1,039,000		1,039,000	$ 0
Operating lease asset impairment charges		2,534,000		2,534,000	0
Intangible asset impairment charges	0	19,571,000	$ 0	19,571,000	0
Gross credit losses recorded	0		0	160,000	0
Gross recoveries	0		$ 0	85,000	$ 0
Other Income (Expense)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value adjustment		114,000
Restructuring Charges
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease asset impairment charges		$ 2,534,000
Chiaro Technologies LLC [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability						$ 1,153,000
GVi Ventures, Inc. [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low	2,500,000			2,500,000
Minimum \| GVi Ventures, Inc. [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low	$ 0			$ 0