FREE
Visual Studio Code
Microsoft's free code editor with IntelliSense, debugging, Git and thousands of extensions
by Microsoft
PRICEFree
RUNS ONWindows, macOS, Linux, Web browser
About Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is Microsoft's free code editor and today the most widely used editor among developers. It is light and fast, yet offers smart code completion (IntelliSense), debugging, a built-in terminal and Git version control.
Its marketplace of extensions adds support for almost every programming language and framework – HTML, CSS and JavaScript work out of the box, and Python, Java, PHP, C++ and many more are one click away. Remote extensions let you work inside containers, on servers over SSH or in WSL on Windows.
VS Code is free for any use. Microsoft first announced it on 29 April 2015, and on 18 November 2015 released its source code (“Code – OSS”) as open source under the MIT licence; the version you download from Microsoft adds Microsoft-specific features under a Microsoft product licence. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, and in the browser at vscode.dev.
Weekly updates and AI agents. Since 2026 new stable versions arrive about every week instead of once a month. Recent releases focus on AI coding agents: the Agents window lets GitHub Copilot and other agents work on tasks, manage sessions, run automations on a schedule and help finish pull requests. GitHub Copilot can be added with a free plan that has monthly limits.
Key features
IntelliSenseSmart completion based on variable types, functions and modules
DebuggingBreakpoints, call stacks and an interactive console in the editor
Git built inReview changes, stage files and commit without leaving the editor
ExtensionsTens of thousands of free extensions for languages and tools
Integrated terminalRun commands next to your code
Remote developmentWork in containers, over SSH or in WSL
AI agentsGitHub Copilot and other agents in the Agents window
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Good and keep in mind
Good
- Free for any use, updated about every week
- Huge choice of extensions for every language
- Runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and in the browser
Keep in mind
- Many extensions can make it slower and use more memory
- Advanced features depend on finding the right extensions
- GitHub Copilot's free plan has monthly limits
- Very frequent updates can change features often
Frequently asked questions
Is Visual Studio Code free?
Yes. Visual Studio Code is free for personal and commercial use, with no paid edition.
Is VS Code the same as Visual Studio?
No. Visual Studio is Microsoft's large, full IDE for Windows (mainly for .NET and C++). Visual Studio Code is a lighter, cross-platform code editor that becomes an IDE through extensions.
Can I use VS Code to build websites?
Yes. HTML, CSS and JavaScript are supported out of the box, and extensions add live preview, formatting and many web frameworks.
Is VS Code open source?
Its source code, Code – OSS, is open source under the MIT licence. The version you download from Microsoft is free but uses a Microsoft product licence because it adds Microsoft-specific features.
How often is VS Code updated?
Since 2026 Microsoft releases a new stable version about every week, and VS Code updates itself automatically.
Does VS Code have AI features?
Yes. GitHub Copilot and other AI agents are built in through the Chat and Agents windows; Copilot has a free plan with monthly limits.