Visual Studio Code, or VS Code, is arguably the most popular source code editor for building web applications. While it is a free, open-source code editor, it stands out as a powerful and versatile editor.
Besides, VSCode has several free extensions and plugins that you can use when building modern web applications.
This article will discuss 15 free VSCode extensions you can use as a developer.
1. Tabnine
Tabnine is an AI-based code completion tool often used as an extension in several code editors, including Visual Studio Code (VS Code). It uses machine learning algorithms to provide intelligent suggestions and auto-completion for code as you type.
Tabnine can suggest code completions based on the context of your code, your coding style, and the libraries and frameworks in use. It can also complete entire lines of code based on a few keywords or a partial line. Moreover, it can generate boilerplate code based on your written code.
The Tabnine extension is designed to make coding faster and more efficient by reducing the time spent typing and correcting errors. It supports several programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, C++, and many more.
Even more, it offers a range of customization options that allow users to tailor the suggestions to their individual coding preferences.
2. Prettier
Prettier is a popular code formatter that you can use to format code automatically in a consistent style. This feature makes it an opinionated code editor.
It supports many programming languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, and HTML. Once installed, you can configure Prettier to format your code automatically on save or demand using a keyboard shortcut or the command palette.
You can configure Prettier to enforce specific code style rules, such as indentation and line length. It does this by parsing your code before reprinting it. This can help maintain consistency across a team of developers and make it easier to read and understand code.
3. Import Cost
Import Cost is a VSCode extension that displays the size of JavaScript imports directly in the editor. It calculates and displays the size of each imported package or module, giving you an idea of how much your codebase depends on external libraries.
When you import a module or library, Import Cost calculates the code size and displays it in the gutter (the area to the left of the code). With Import Cost, you can quickly identify which dependencies contribute the most to the size of your codebase and optimize them as needed. You can also track the impact of changes to your code on the size of your dependencies over time.
This can be useful for identifying large or unnecessary imports that may be affecting the performance of your application. Moreover, you can also configure this extension to display the size in different units, such as bytes, kilobytes, or even emojis.
4. GitLens
GitLens is a powerful extension for VSCode that provides enhanced Git functionality and visualization tools. It allows you to easily navigate and explore Git repositories, view blame annotations for each line of code, compare code changes, and view commit history.
GitLens also provides many other features, such as code authorship and commit search, code lens integration, and support for pull requests and issue tracking systems.
Besides, this extension can be handy for working on large or complex codebases, where it can be challenging to keep track of changes and understand the overall structure of the code.
5. Live Server
Live Server is a popular VSCode extension that allows you to launch a local development server with live reload capability for web development. It helps you preview your web pages and applications instantly in your web browser as you make changes to your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, making the development process more efficient.
It provides a simple and convenient way to develop web applications without reloading the browser manually each time you make changes. With Live Server, you can launch a development server with just one click, and it will automatically open your web page in the default browser.
6. ESLint
ESLint is a widely used extension that helps developers to write cleaner, more reliable JavaScript code. It provides an automated way to catch common errors, enforce code style, and detect potential performance issues.
You can customize the extension to meet your coding standards, and it also has a wide range of plugins and configurations that make it very versatile.
The extension integrates with VS Code to highlight errors and warnings in your code, provide real-time feedback as you type, and suggest fixes to common issues.
ESLint checks your code for common errors and enforces coding conventions, such as variable naming, indentation, spacing, etc.
It can detect potential bugs and security issues, such as unused variables, undefined variables, and function calls that are not used correctly. It can also help enforce best practices and prevent errors that may lead to code defects or security vulnerabilities.
7. Code Spell Checker
Code Spell Checker is a VS Code extension that helps developers to find spelling errors in their code, comments, and markdown files. It uses natural language processing algorithms to check for spelling mistakes and provides suggestions for corrections.
While this extension is handy for non-native English speakers, it can also help anyone who wants to avoid typos and mistakes in their code. The Code Spell Checker extension supports many programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and more.
8. Better Comments
Better Comments is a VS Code extension that enhances how comments are displayed in your code editor. It provides different styles of comments based on their purpose, making it easier to distinguish them and their implications.
You can use this extension to add comments to your code in different styles, such as alerts, queries, explanations, TODOs, highlights, and more. Each style has a unique format, color, and icon, making it easy to identify the type of comment and its importance.
The extension also provides a customizable color scheme, allowing you to change the color of each comment style to match your preferences or your project’s branding. Better Comments is a valuable tool for developers who want to improve the readability and organization of their code.
9. Peacock
Peacock is a fun and valuable VS Code extension that allows you to customize the color theme of your editor on a per-project basis. It helps you to distinguish between different projects easily and adds a personal touch to your development environment.
Peacock allows you to set different colors for various VS Code elements, such as the title bar, status bar, and sidebar, making it easy to differentiate between projects even when you have many open at once.
10. CSS Peek
CSS Peek is a VS Code extension that helps web developers to navigate and edit CSS code more efficiently. It lets you quickly jump to the definition of a CSS class or ID in your code by hovering over it with your cursor.
You can also use CSS Peek to preview and edit the styles associated with a particular CSS selector in real time without navigating to a separate file. This extension will streamline your CSS workflow and simplify your development process.
11. Git Graph
Git Graph is a VS Code extension that provides an interactive visualization of your Git repository. It allows you to view and navigate your Git commit history graphically, making it easy to understand how your codebase has evolved.
You can also use Git Graph to perform various Git operations such as branching, merging, and committing, all from within the VS Code interface. This extension can help to streamline your Git workflow and make it easier to collaborate with other developers.
12. Markdown All in One
Markdown All in One is a VS Code extension that helps you to write and preview Markdown documents more efficiently. It provides a suite of tools and features for working with Markdown, including syntax highlighting, table of contents generation, and live previews.
Markdown All in One also includes keyboard shortcuts for standard Markdown formatting, making it easy to add bold, italic, or code blocks to your text. This extension can improve your productivity and streamline your Markdown workflow.
13. Thunder Client
Thunder Client is a VS Code extension that allows you to easily send HTTP requests and view the responses without leaving your editor. It provides a simple and intuitive user interface for testing APIs and web services, making it an essential tool for web developers and testers.
With Thunder Client, you can quickly create and save HTTP requests, including GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, and more. You can also set headers, query parameters, and request bodies and save your requests for future use. Thunder Client also supports importing and exporting requests as JSON files.
14. Polacode
Polacode is a VS Code extension that allows you to capture screenshots of your code with syntax highlighting. It creates beautiful and shareable images of your code for presentations, tutorials, blog posts, and more.
With Polacode, you can select a portion of your code or an entire file and generate an image with just a few clicks. The extension supports various code editors, including VS Code, Sublime Text, and Atom. You can customize the image output by adjusting the font size, background color, and theme.
Polacode is a helpful tool for developers who want to share their code with others in an aesthetically pleasing way. It can help you to communicate your ideas more effectively and make your code more accessible to others.
15. Project Dashboard
Project Dashboard is a VS Code extension that provides a simple and customizable dashboard for managing your projects. It allows you to create and organize tasks, notes, and links for your projects, making it easy to stay organized and focused on your goals.
You can use Project Dashboard to create a new project dashboard for each project you are working on and add tasks, notes, and links to it. You can also assign due dates and priorities to your tasks and track your progress using visual indicators.
The extension provides a flexible and customizable layout, allowing you to arrange your tasks, notes, and links as you deem fit. You can also customize the appearance of your dashboard by changing the font size, colors, and themes.
Conclusion
The above are some of the free Visual Studio Code extensions that you can consider. Some of them will help you refine your codes, thereby saving time and boosting productivity, while others will help improve the readability of your projects.
Besides, some can help you manage your projects more efficiently or process your work for presentations.
