Visual Studio Code has become my go-to editor, and extensions play a huge role in making it so powerful. Here are five extensions I can’t live without.
1. Prettier - Code Formatter
Why it’s essential: Consistent code formatting across your entire project without thinking about it.
Prettier automatically formats your code on save, ensuring consistent style throughout your codebase. No more debates about tabs vs spaces or where to put braces!
{
"editor.formatOnSave": true,
"prettier.singleQuote": true,
"prettier.semi": true
}
2. ESLint
Why it’s essential: Catch errors and enforce coding standards before runtime.
ESLint helps identify problematic patterns in your JavaScript code. It’s saved me countless hours of debugging by catching issues early.
Benefits:
- Finds syntax errors before running code
- Enforces best practices
- Customizable rules for your team
- Auto-fix for many issues
3. GitLens
Why it’s essential: Supercharge Git capabilities within VS Code.
GitLens enhances the Git experience with features like:
- Blame annotations showing who changed what
- Code lens showing recent commits
- Rich hover information
- Interactive rebase and merge tools
It makes understanding code history effortless.
4. Live Server
Why it’s essential: Instant preview of your web pages with auto-reload.
No more manually refreshing the browser! Live Server launches a local development server with live reload feature. Any changes to your HTML, CSS, or JavaScript automatically refresh the page.
Perfect for:
- Quick prototyping
- Testing responsive designs
- Learning web development
5. IntelliCode
Why it’s essential: AI-assisted code completion that actually understands context.
Microsoft’s IntelliCode uses machine learning to provide intelligent suggestions based on your code context. It learns from thousands of open-source projects to suggest the most likely completion.
Features:
- Context-aware completions
- Whole line suggestions
- Learns from your codebase
- Supports multiple languages
Honorable Mentions
A few other extensions worth checking out:
- Bracket Pair Colorizer: Makes nested code easier to read
- Path Intellisense: Autocompletes file paths
- REST Client: Test APIs directly in VS Code
- Thunder Client: Lightweight REST API client
Conclusion
The right extensions can dramatically improve your development workflow. These five have been game-changers for me, boosting both productivity and code quality.
What are your must-have VS Code extensions? Let me know!