Our Top Extensions
Extensions allow you to customize VS Code according to your technical stack. They can really make your life easier and increase your productivity. Before diving into the hundreds of available extensions, here is our personal selection among those we use on a daily basis.
Yohan
- REST Client: my favorite tool for testing REST APIs! It allows you to define HTTP requests in a text file and execute them directly from VS Code.
- Git Graph: essential for visualizing the history and branches of Git and navigating easily between commits.
- Prettier: To no longer have to worry about formatting your code, this extension automatically does it for you.
- Dev Containers: this extension allows you to define, share, and use development environments in containers. End of dependency and version issues!
- GitHub Copilot: boost your productivity with AI! Code generation, testing, documentation, I can't do without this extension today. (Requires a subscription)
- PlatformIO IDE: more than just a simple extension, it transforms VS Code into a complete IDE for developing applications for microcontrollers. If you're into Arduino, you're going to love it!
- Todo Tree: if, like me, you overuse TODOs in your code, this extension will allow you to group them in a dedicated window, so you don't forget them.
- Microsoft Edge Tools for VS Code: if you develop web applications, this extension will allow you to test and debug your applications directly in VS Code, without having to switch back and forth between your browser and your IDE.
- EditorConfig: tabs or spaces? 2 or 4? This extension allows you to define the basic formatting of files and share them with other developers.
- Material Icon Theme: to add a bit of color and distinction in the file tree, this icon theme is my favorite.
Christopher
- Live Share: this extension allows multiple people to collaborate on a project opened on one person's workstation. An essential tool for remote teams, multi-person code review, training.
- Polyglot Notebooks: need to write a little script? Test a piece of code? Polyglot notebooks let you do all this, and much more.
- SQL Database Projects: if you work with Azure SQL / SQL Server, this extension allows you to version and deploy your database schema simply.
- PostgreSQL: if you use PostgreSQL, this extension allows you to edit and execute your SQL code on your servers directly from VS Code.
- GitHub Actions: as the name suggests, it allows you to view and launch your GitHub Actions workflows directly from VS Code. Commit, push, and deploy in the blink of an eye!
- Better Comments: comments are life! But between
TODO
, code comments, questions for the person doing the code review, how to manage? - C# Dev Kit: VS Code allows you to work on .NET projects with the C# extension. But the C# dev kit extension (which requires a license - **free for individual developers, students, and open-source) brings support for Visual Studio solutions, refactoring tools, code completion, and advanced testing.
- Conventional Commits: naming a variable can be tricky, but writing a commit message can be even trickier. This extension allows you to follow a naming convention for your commit messages (https://www.conventionalcommits.org/).
- Live Preview: it's not uncommon to use VS Code to develop HTML code. Live Preview allows you to have an HTTP server to visualize your code directly in VS Code, or in your favorite browser.
- VS Code Pets: if, like me, you're working remotely, your days can be a bit monotonous. VS Code Pet allows you to have a digital companion in VS Code: Dog, Cat, Rubber Duck... You can even throw it a ball! Otherwise, you can always go outside for a real break ;)