Visual Studio Code (VSCode) is a lightweight but powerful source code editor that runs on your desktop. It comes with built-in support for JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js and has a rich ecosystem of extensions for other languages and tools.Table of ContentsInstallationWindowsVisit the VSCode download pageClick on the Windows download buttonRun the installer (.exe file)Follow the installation wizardCheck the options to:Create a desktop iconAdd Open with Code to Windows Explorer context menuRegister Code as an editor for supported file typesmacOSVisit the VSCode download pageClick on the Mac download buttonOpen the downloaded .zip fileDrag Visual Studio Code.app to the Applications folderOptional: Add VSCode to your DockLinuxVisit the VSCode download pageChoose the appropriate package for your distribution (.deb, .rpm, etc.)For Debian/Ubuntu:For Red Hat/Fedora:First Launch and Interface OverviewWhen you first open VSCode, youll see:Welcome Page: Contains quick links to common commands and recent projectsActivity Bar: Left sidebar with icons for different views:Explorer: File browserSearch: Find and replaceSource Control: Git integrationRun and Debug: Debug panelExtensions: Manage extensionsStatus Bar: Bottom bar showing information about the current file and editorEditor Area: Main coding area (can be split into multiple editors)Panel: Bottom panel that can show terminal, output, problems, etc.Essential SettingsAccess settings by:Windows/Linux: File > Preferences > SettingsmacOS: Code > Preferences > SettingsRecommended settings to consider:Theme:File > Preferences > Color Theme (or Ctrl+K Ctrl+T)Popular choices: Dark+, Light+, Monokai, SolarizedFont:Auto Save:Tab Size:Formatting:ExtensionsVSCodes power comes from its extensions. To install extensions:Click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X)Search for extensions by nameClick InstallEssential extensions by category:GeneralPrettier Code formatter: Consistent code formattingESLint: JavaScript lintingEditorConfig: Maintain consistent coding stylesLanguagesPython: Full Python supportC/C++: C and C++ intellisense, debuggingJava Extension Pack: Java development toolsJavaScript (ES6) code snippets: Snippets for JavaScriptThemesMaterial Theme: Popular theme packOne Dark Pro: Atoms iconic themeProductivityGitLens: Supercharge Git capabilitiesLive Share: Collaborative editingPath Intellisense: Autocomplete filenamesWorkspace SetupA workspace in VSCode represents one or more folders that are opened in an editor window.Open a folder: File > Open Folder (Ctrl+K Ctrl+O)Save workspace: File > Save Workspace AsWorkspace settings: Create a .vscode folder in your project with:settings.json: Project-specific settingslaunch.json: Debugging configurationstasks.json: Build task configurationsextensions.json: Recommended extensionsExample settings.json for a JavaScript project:Keyboard ShortcutsVSCode has many keyboard shortcuts. Here are the most essential ones:Ctrl+P: Quick Open, Go to FileCtrl+Shift+P: Show Command PaletteCtrl+Space: Trigger suggestionF12: Go to DefinitionAlt+F12: Peek DefinitionShift+Alt+F: Format documentF5: Start debuggingCtrl+`: Toggle terminalCtrl+B: Toggle sidebarCtrl+/: Toggle line commentCtrl+K Ctrl+C: Add line commentCtrl+K Ctrl+U: Remove line commentIntegrated TerminalVSCode includes an integrated terminal:Open terminal: View > TerminalMultiple terminals: Click the plus iconSwitch terminals: Use the dropdownSource Control IntegrationVSCode has built-in Git support:Initialize repository: Click the Source Control icon and Initialize RepositoryStage changes: Click the + next to modified filesCommit changes: Enter a message and press Ctrl+EnterPush/Pull: Use the ellipsis menu () for additional Git commandsVisual diff: Click on a modified file to see changesDebuggingSet up debugging for your project:Create a launch configuration:Click the Run and Debug iconClick create a launch.json fileSelect your environmentSet breakpoints: Click in the gutter next to line numbersStart debugging: Press F5Use debug controls: Continue, Step Over, Step Into, Step OutWatch variables: Add expressions to the Watch panelAdditional Resources NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Introduces CODI: A Self-Distillation Framework for Efficient and Scalable Chain-of-Thought Reasoning in LLMsNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Getting Started with Kaggle Kernels for Machine LearningNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper from MIT and UCL Introduces a Diagrammatic Approach for GPU-Aware Deep Learning OptimizationNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper Introduces a Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning Framework: LoRA, QLoRA, and Test-Time Scaling for Optimized LLM Performance Parlant: Build Reliable AI Customer Facing Agents with LLMs (Promoted)