Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free, open-source, and cross-platform code editor developed by Microsoft that has been redefined for modern software development. It supports a vast array of programming languages and offers a rich ecosystem of features and extensions, heavily focused on AI-assisted development.
VS Code’s main features are designed to enhance developer productivity and flexibility. The platform provides out-of-the-box AI capabilities, allowing users to leverage models like Claude Sonnet or integrate their own from providers like Azure, Anthropic, and Google. A key AI feature is Agent Mode, which can tackle complex, multi-step tasks by reading the codebase, suggesting edits across multiple files, and responding to failures until the job is complete. It also offers Next Edit Suggestions that intelligently predict and recommend the next block of code or change based on the edits being made. Beyond AI, VS Code is Fully Customizable with color themes, Settings Sync, and Profiles to tailor the UI and layout to individual coding styles. It supports Code in Any Language and has a massive Extension Marketplace with over 75,000 extensions for rich language support (like Python, C#, and Java), integration with external tools (like Stripe and MongoDB), and features like Remote Development. Other core features include an Integrated Terminal, built-in Source Control (Git support), and robust Run and Debug capabilities.
