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Visual Studio Code

193.6Kstars

Free, extensible code editor from Microsoft for most languages

Visual Studio Code is a free source code editor from Microsoft that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and in the browser. It combines IntelliSense completion, a built-in debugger, Git tools and an integrated terminal with a large extensions marketplace. It is built on the MIT-licensed Code - OSS project and integrates GitHub Copilot for AI chat and agent workflows.

Cost / License
FreeOpen source(MIT)
Categories
Code Editors & IDEs
Platforms
WebWindowsMacLinux
Visual Studio Code screenshot
Visual Studio Code alternativesVisit website
features
7
alternatives
12
platforms
4
Updated
Oct 12, 2026

Features

Our take

Pros

  • Huge extensions marketplace for almost any language or tool
  • Integrated terminal, debugger and Git tools
  • Remote development over SSH, in containers and with WSL

Cons

  • Official builds include Microsoft telemetry and proprietary components
  • As an Electron app it uses more memory than native editors
  • Large extension setups can slow it down

Editorial assessment by the Alternatives.tools team, based on what the product is known for. Not a user review.

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