Go to the official VS Code website and click on the download for windows button, select the 64-

bit version of the installer and click on download to start the download process.
Once the download is complete, run the installer by double-clicking on it, follow the prompts to
accept the license agreement and choose the installation location. Make sure to select the option
to add VS Code to your PATH environment variable. The installation process will take a few
minutes to complete.
After installation it is advisable to restart your system to ensure that the changes take effect. If
any issues are encountered, you can refer to the VS Code documentation or seek help from
chatGPT.

To ensure an optimal coding environment:

 You can enable code completion by adding the following code in the user settings file:
“editor. completion.enabled”: true.
 You can install various extensions by searching for them in the extensions marketplace.
Some of the important extensions include: Code debugger, Github Copilot, Pylance,
Python, Dart and Flutter.

 You can customize the theme that best suits you.

 You can turn on the auto save feature to automatically save your work.

The main components of the VS code user interface are:

 Editor – This is the main area where files are edited. Multiple editors can be opened side
by side, both horizontally and vertically.
 Primary side bar – This area contains different views like the explorer, which helps you
navigate and manage your project.
 Status bar – This area displays information about the opened project and the files you’re
editing, providing a quick overview of your work.
 Activity bar – This is a core navigation surface that allows you to access different views
and features in VS code.
 Explorer – This is the area that displays the file system and allows you to navigate and
manage your project.

The command palette in VS code is a feature that allows you to access various commands,
settings, and functionality. It is a text box where you can type in the command you want to
execute, and the results will be displayed in a dropdown list. Common tasks that can be
performed using the command palette are:
 File operations – creating a new file, opening an existing file, save changes, and more.
 Format code, indent, and more.
 Debugging – start and stop debugging sessions, set breakpoints, and more.
 Navigation – go to a specific line or symbol in the code, open a specific folder, and more.
 Extensions – manage extensions, install new ones, and updating existing ones.
 Settings – open the settings file, search for specific settings, and more.
 Tasks – view and run tasks, such as building and running tests.

Extensions in VS code are third-party plugins that can enhance the functionality of the code
editor, making it more powerful and efficient. They can add new features, improve performance,
and provide better integration.
To find extensions, open the extensions view by clicking on the extensions icon in the left side
bar or pressing Ctrl + Shift + X. To install a particular extension, click on it after searching for it
and click install.
To manage extensions you can update the extensions by clicking on the update button next to the
extension name.
Some of the essential extensions for web development are: live server, CSS peek, prettier,
JavaScript debugger, pylance.
To open and use the integrated terminal in VS Code, the following steps are followed:
 Open VS code and navigate to the view menu.
 Select the ‘terminal’ option from the dropdown menu.
 The integrated terminal will open at the bottom of the VS code window.
Some of the advantages of the terminal in VS code over an external terminal are:
 The integrated terminal is always available within the VS Code window, eliminating the
need to switch between windows or applications.
 The integrated terminal is aware of the current VS code workspace and can provide
features such as auto-completion, debugging and code insight.
 The integrated terminal maintains its state and settings between sessions.
 The integrated terminal can be used in conjunction with other VS Code features such as
debugging.

Files can be created in VS code using the New File and New Folder buttons at the top of the
Explorer view or by right-clicking in the Explorer view.
To open files and folders: a) double-click on the file or folder in the Explorer view. b) Right-
click on the file or folder and select ‘Open’ from the context menu. c) You can also use the
keyboard shortcut Ctrl + O.
To manage files and folders, one can:
 Use the Explorer view to browse through your files and folders.
 Right-click on a file or folder to access its context menu, which allows you to perform
actions such as renaming, deleting, or copying the file or folder.
 Use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + Shift + E
To navigate between different files and folders, you can use the Explorer view to browse through
files and folders. You can also use the ‘File’ menu to navigate to a specific file or folder.

To find and customize settings in VS code, the following steps are followed:
 Open VS Code and go to the ‘File’ menu.
 Click on Open VS Code and go to the “File” menu. Click on “Preferences” and then
“Settings”.
 In the “Settings” panel, click on the “Themes” tab.
 Select a theme from the list or click the “…” button to browse for a custom theme.
 Click “Apply” to save the changes.
To change the font size:
 Go to the “File” menu and click on “Preferences”
 In the “Settings” panel, click on the “Font” tab.
 Adjust the “Font Size” slider or enter a value in the “Font Size” field.
 Click “Apply” to save the changes.

To change key bindings:

 Go to the “File” menu and click on “Preferences”
 In the “Settings” panel, click on the “Keyboard Shortcuts” tab.
 Search for the specific keybinding you want to change and click on the three vertical dots
next to it.
 Click “Edit in Keybindings.json” and modify the “key” property to the new keybinding you
want to assign.
 Click “Apply” to save the changes.

The following are the steps taken to set up and start debugging a simple program in VS Code:
 Create a new launch configuration
 Configure the launch.json file
 Set breakpoints
 Start the debugger
Some of the key debugging features in VS Code are:
 Breakpoints
 Step-through debugging (using the F10 key)
 Inspect variables
 Console output
 Call stack

To integrate Git with VS Code for version control, navigate to the project directory in the Git
bash terminal. While in the repository, key in ‘code .’ to open the directory in vs code. If this
does not work you can open the file manually in VS Code and go to the terminal then select Git
as your default terminal. You can then enter the command ‘git init’ to initialize a git repository.
The changes on the document can be staged by keying in ‘git add .’ for all files in the terminal.
After staging, users can commit changes by entering a commit message in the command “git
commit –m ‘commit message’” in the terminal.
To connect to a remote repository, one should add it with ‘git remote add origin
<repository_URL> and finally they can push their changes to Github using the terminal
command ‘git push –u origin master’ or through the Source Control view.
REFERENCES:
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/windows
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/getting-started
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/debugging
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/codebasics
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/extension-gallery