VS Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free and open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It is available on Windows, Linux, and macOS and offers features such as debugging, syntax highlighting, and intelligent code completion.

Some of the key features of VS Code include:

  • Built-in Git integration
  • Support for multiple languages and frameworks
  • Extensions for customizing the editor and adding new functionality
  • Debugging capabilities for Node.js, Python, and other languages
  • Integrated terminal for running commands and scripts

Using a modern editor or IDE can make your coding experience more efficient and productive.

Installation

The installation process depends on your operating system. Follow the instructions below based on your platform:

VS Code Extensions

VS Code extensions are add-ons that allow users to customize and enhance the functionality of the VS Code.

For example, IntelliSense is a popular VS Code extension that provides intelligent code suggestions, auto-completion, and parameter hints while writing code. It is a built-in extension enabled by default in VS Code.

To learn more about extensions, visit the official documentation at https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/introvideos/extend.

Why VS Code

One reason we teach VS Code over other IDEs (.e.g., Spyder, PyCharm, IDLE) is that VS Code is a more general-purpose code editor that supports multiple languages and workflows, and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. VS Code is capable of handling a wide range of tasks and can be used for web development, data analysis, scripting, and more.

VS Code has a lot of built-in functionality for working with other languages including Markdown, SQL, PowerShell, Julia, and more. Learning VS Code is a great skill for someone getting started with programming, data analysis, and/or automation and wants to learn a versatile environment that will accomodate growing skills.

VS Code is widely used and well-supported, with many resources for learning how to use it effectively. In addition to the comprehensive official documenttaion, there are articles and videos available for begineers through experts.