Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments - Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value for Available-for-Sale Investments (Detail) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	$ 382,732
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(12,718)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	190,707
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	(14,842)
Fair Value	573,439
Unrealized Losses	(27,560)
Treasury Bills [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	32,614
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(465)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	102
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	(3)
Fair Value	32,716
Unrealized Losses	(468)
Asset-Backed Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	47,582
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(2,299)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	2,495
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	(126)
Fair Value	50,077
Unrealized Losses	(2,425)
Sovereign Bonds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	967
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(67)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	957
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	(104)
Fair Value	1,924
Unrealized Losses	(171)
Corporate Bonds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	285,087
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(9,591)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	187,153
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	(14,609)
Fair Value	472,240
Unrealized Losses	(24,200)
Agency Bonds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	15,858
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(285)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	0
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	0
Fair Value	15,858
Unrealized Losses	(285)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Fair Value, Less than 12 months	624
Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(11)
Fair Value, Greater than 12 Months	0
Unrealized Losses, Greater than 12 Months	0
Fair Value	624
Unrealized Losses	$ (11)

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLonger
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12Months
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position without allowance for credit loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922888-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPosition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_SovereignDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=cgnx_AgencyBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MunicipalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: