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

  • Update 1.88.1: The update addresses these issues.

Welcome to the March 2024 release of Visual Studio Code. There are many updates in this version that we hope you'll like, some of the key highlights include:

  • Apply custom editor labels - Distinguish between editors with same file names.
  • Locked scrolling - Compare editors side-by-side with synchronized scrolling.
  • Extension update improvements - Restart extensions without reload & update extensions with VS Code releases.
  • Test Coverage API - Native code coverage support in VS Code.
  • Folding markers in minimap - Easily identify and navigate to code sections from minimap.
  • Quick Search improvements - Sticky file path separators and separator buttons.
  • Notebook Run cells in section - Quickly run all cells in a notebook section.
  • Copilot improvements - Improved inline chat UI, commit messages, and used references.
  • Python auto-detect improvements - Detect startup files for Flask & Django, discover Hatch environments.
  • Preview: Terminal inline chat - Start a Copilot inline chat conversation directly from the terminal.

Insiders: Want to try new features as soon as possible? You can download the nightly Insiders build and try the latest updates as soon as they are available.

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