Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has become one of the most popular code editors among developers for its flexibility, vast extension marketplace, and robust features. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, mastering VS Code can significantly enhance your productivity. Here’s a handy cheatsheet that covers essential shortcuts, tips, and tricks to elevate your coding experience in VS Code.

1. Keyboard Shortcuts

Familiarizing yourself with keyboard shortcuts is key to navigating VS Code efficiently. Here are some essential shortcuts:

General Shortcuts

• Open Command Palette: Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + P (Mac)
• Open File: Ctrl + O (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + O (Mac)
• New File: Ctrl + N (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + N (Mac)
• Open Settings: Ctrl + , (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + , (Mac)

Navigation

• Quick Open: Ctrl + P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + P (Mac) — Quickly open files by name.
• Go to Line: Ctrl + G (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + G (Mac) — Jump to a specific line number.
• Switch Between Editor Tabs: Ctrl + Tab (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Option + → (Mac)

Editor Management

• Split Editor: Ctrl + \ (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + \ (Mac)
• Close Editor: Ctrl + W (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + W (Mac)
• Format Document: Shift + Alt + F (Windows/Linux) or Shift + Option + F (Mac)

2. Extensions to Boost Productivity

VS Code has a vast marketplace filled with extensions to enhance your development workflow. Here are a few must-have extensions:

• Prettier: A code formatter that ensures your code is consistent and clean.
• Live Server: Launch a local development server with live reload for static and dynamic pages.
• GitLens: Supercharge your Git capabilities with detailed insights into code changes and history.
• Bracket Pair Colorizer: Colorizes matching brackets to improve code readability.

3. Integrated Terminal

The integrated terminal in VS Code allows you to run commands directly within the editor. Here are some useful commands:

• Open Terminal: Ctrl + ` (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + ` (Mac)
• Create New Terminal: Ctrl + Shift + (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + (Mac)
• Kill Terminal: Ctrl + Shift + X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + X (Mac)

4. Version Control with Git

VS Code provides built-in support for Git. Here are some Git-related shortcuts:

• Open Source Control Panel: Ctrl + Shift + G (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + G (Mac)
• Stage Changes: Ctrl + Shift + U (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + U (Mac)
• Commit Changes: Type a commit message and press Ctrl + Enter (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Enter (Mac)

5. Customizing Your Setup

Customizing VS Code to fit your workflow can make a significant difference. Here are some tips:

• Themes: Change the look and feel of your editor with various themes available in the marketplace. Explore themes under Preferences: Color Theme.
• Settings Sync: Enable settings sync to keep your preferences across multiple devices.
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize shortcuts by navigating to File > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts.

Conclusion

Mastering VS Code involves knowing the right shortcuts, utilizing extensions, and customizing your setup. With the tips in this cheatsheet, you’re well on your way to becoming a VS Code pro!

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