Visual Studio Code Extensions
This is a tutorial for Visual Studio Code Extensions, an insight on them, and a list of ones that can be useful for you starting out as a junior programmer.
If confused about Visual Studio Code, please refer to the IDE Tutorial for more information.
What is Visual Studio Code Extensions
Visual Studio Code Extensions add a lot of power to your already powerful application, as a developer you want to use any tools necessary to build your application. Extensions allow you to do more, with less.
Click the link below to learn more about Visual Studio Code Extensions, and how to find the menu for them.
Once there you can access Extensions!
Recommend Extensions
There are so many extensions you can use on Visual Studio Code, so always go and check out some, you may find something that you'll end up using for the rest of your time as a developer!
As a developer, you have tools you can use to make your job easier, and look cooler, so here some recommended extensions to get you started on your journey.
Prettier
To start off the list, Prettier is a very useful extension, it formats you code for you, and gives it a consistent style, which helps fixing your messy code after you write it! Its a nice tool to use when things are off, and you want to clean up your code a little, and definitely useful instead of doing it by hand and cleaning it up!
Check it out with the link below:
Indent Rainbow
Indent Rainbow is a great extension for people when coding, it lets users see their indents on their code more easily, which is useful when trying to keep track in a codebase that is heavy. This extension colorizes the indentation in front of your text, allowing you see your lines of indentation way easier, and it definitely looks nice as well.
Check it out, and make your code look more pretty:
Material Theme Icons
Material Theme Icons is a very useful extension for people when coding, despite how simple it is, once you start using it you can never go back. Material Theme Icons provides your IDE with icons for a variety of file types, folder types, and more. It turns your normal, boring folder, to having an icon that helps you tell the difference between others. Your programming files will have unique file icons, helping you keep track, and make your folders look a little less cluttered.
Don't believe me? Check it out now:
Monokai Pro Theme
Monokai Pro Theme is one of many useful themes, but its nice to have something simple, yet impactful on your coding experience. Monokai does just that, with a simple and subtle theme, it provides a wide variety of colors, allowing the user to see their code more cleaner. Like many themes you can find on the extension page, it helps with syntax highlighting, and its up to you to find your favorite!
You can download Monkai Pro as you first theme below, but don't hesitate to try out as many themes as you want to make your development environment your own!
Live Server
Live server is a very essential feature to have as a developer starting out, it provides the user with a development server to watch their changes on their website in real time. As a developer starting out, you get lost easily, and that's okay! Using Live Server will provide you with a chance to see what the items you add to your site does, with color changes, or new pages.
I would recommend to use Live Server always, so go ahead and give it a try, it doesn't hurt:
Live Share
Live Share, unlike the similar name, Live Server, is a very different extension. However, its very powerful in its own way. If Live Server is your local development server, Live Share is your collaboration server with others. It allows you to edit code, and debug in real time with others, allowing faster programming especially during lab time with classmates. Its a really fun option for people to be on two different computers, but working together.
Go ahead and give it a try:
Afterthoughts
These few extensions are a WIDE variety of extensions you can find on the Visual Studio Code marketplace, so don't hesitate, go find something that makes coding easier for you, and makes your experience as a developer easier!
Happy coding!