VS Code
The free, endlessly-extensible editor that's become most developers' default place to write code.
What it is
About VS Code
Visual Studio Code is a lightweight but powerful source code editor with built-in support for debugging, Git, syntax highlighting and IntelliSense, extended via a massive marketplace of free extensions covering nearly every language, framework and workflow. It supports remote development (SSH, containers, WSL) and has become the default editor across most developer survey rankings (Stack Overflow's annual survey has repeatedly ranked it number one). Its integration with GitHub Copilot and other AI coding assistants has further cemented its dominance.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Write, edit and debug code with syntax highlighting and IntelliSense across virtually any language
Manage Git version control directly from the editor
Extend functionality via thousands of free marketplace extensions (linters, formatters, language support)
Develop remotely inside containers, WSL or over SSH
Use integrated terminal and task runners without leaving the editor
How to learn it
Learning Resources
Microsoft's official VS Code documentation and 'Learn' video series
freeCodeCamp and various YouTube channels covering VS Code setup and extensions
Practise by configuring a dev environment for a real personal project (linting, debugging, Git integration)
VS Code's own interactive 'Tips and Tricks' walkthroughs built into the editor
Pro Tip
Learn the Command Palette (Ctrl and Cmd+Shift+P) early and use it for everything — it's faster than hunting through menus and it's how you discover most of what the editor and its extensions can actually do.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool