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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

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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 and updated every month. Its source code (“Code – OSS”) is 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. GitHub Copilot, the AI coding assistant, 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

License and price

License type: Free

System requirements

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux, Web browser

Good and keep in mind

Good

Free for any use, updated every month
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

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.