Visual Studio Code is a lightweight but powerful source code editor from Microsoft that is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. It comes with built-in support for JavaScript, TypeScript and Node.js and has a rich ecosystem of extensions for other languages and runtimes (such as C++, C#, Java, Python, PHP, Go, .NET).

What is the difference between Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio?

Visual Studio Code is a code editor with support for development operations like debugging, task running, and version control, while Visual Studio is a fully featured IDE (integrated development environment) that can handle more complex workflows.

Is Visual Studio Code free?

Yes, VS Code is free for individual users or for commercial use.

Is VS Code good for beginners?

Yes. VS Code is a great code editor for professionals and beginners that are just starting with software development.

Can I do Python in VS Code?

Yes, Visual Studio Code fully supports almost every major programming language. Some examples are Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, and HTML, and more rich language extensions can be found in the VS Code Marketplace.

Can I run VS Code on Windows 7?

No, Visual Studio Code versions starting with 1.71 (August 2022) no longer run on Windows 7. You will need to upgrade to a newer Windows version in order to use VS Code or use other code editors like Sublime Text and Notepad++, which are compatible with Windows 7.

Features

Meet IntelliSense

Go beyond syntax highlighting and autocomplete with IntelliSense, which provides smart completions based on variable types, function definitions, and imported modules.

Print statement debugging is a thing of the past

Debug code right from the editor. Launch or attach to your running apps and debug with break points, call stacks, and an interactive console.

Git commands built-in

Working with Git and other SCM providers has never been easier. Review diffs, stage files, and make commits right from the editor. Push and pull from any hosted SCM service.

Extensible and customizable

Want even more features? Install extensions to add new languages, themes, debuggers, and to connect to additional services. Extensions run in separate processes, ensuring they won't slow down your editor.

What's New

Welcome to the August 2023 release of Visual Studio Code. There are many updates in this version that we hope you'll like, some of the key highlights include:

  • Accessibility improvements - Accessible View support for inline completions, updated keybindings.
  • Built-in port forwarding - Forward local server ports from within VS Code.
  • Sticky Scroll updates - Scrolls horizontally with editor, display last line in scope, folding UI.
  • New diff editor features - Detect moved code, dynamically switch inline and side-by-side view.
  • Command Center displayed by default - Quickly open files or run commands from the title bar.
  • Copy Notebook output - Easily copy cell output as well as generated images.
  • WebAssembly debugging - Decompile WASM code to step through and set breakpoints.
  • New TypeScript refactorings - Move to File and Inline Variables refactorings.
  • New Python Formatting topic - Learn how to integrate formatters such as autopep8 and Black.
  • Preview: GitHub Copilot - CreateWorkspace command previews file structure of proposed code.

If you'd like to read these release notes online, go to Updates on code.visualstudio.com.