TL;DR: Discover the top Visual Studio Code extensions every developer should install in 2025. This blog explores powerful tools that boost productivity, streamline your workflow, and take your coding experience to the next level.
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has become the go-to code editor for developers worldwide, thanks to its versatility and a vast ecosystem of extensions. In 2025, the landscape of VS Code extensions evolved, introducing powerful tools that enhance productivity, code quality, and collaboration. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, these top 20 extensions will elevate your coding experience.
GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant that helps developers write code faster and smarter. It provides inline code suggestions as you type, tailored to your coding style and the context of your existing code. Copilot adapts to your unique needs, allowing you to select the best model for your project, customize chat responses with custom instructions, and utilize agent mode for AI-powered, seamlessly integrated peer programming sessions.
To install the GitHub Copilot extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install GitHub.copilot Alternatively, you can install GitHub Copilot directly by following this link.
The ESLint extension helps developers maintain consistent code quality and style by analyzing JavaScript, TypeScript, and other supported languages for potential errors and formatting issues. It enforces coding standards using custom or shared linting rules and integrates directly with your VS Code editor. By catching issues early, ESLint improves code readability, reduces bugs, and helps teams adhere to best practices across the codebase.
To install the ESLint extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install dbaeumer.vscode-eslint Alternatively, you can install ESLint directly by following this link.
ESLint must also be installed in your project using this command: npm install eslint –save-dev for the extension to work properly.
The Code Spell Checker extension helps developers identify and correct spelling errors in comments, strings, plain text, and more. It’s especially useful in collaborative environments or public repositories where clean and professional code documentation is essential. While it doesn’t check for syntax or logic errors, it enhances readability by ensuring accurate spelling across your project. This lightweight extension is ideal for maintaining a clean codebase with well-written documentation.
To install the Code Spell Checker extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker Alternatively, you can install Code Spell Checker directly by following this link.
The Auto Rename Tag extension enhances your productivity by automatically renaming the matching paired HTML or XML tag as you edit. When you update an opening tag, the corresponding closing tag is automatically updated, eliminating the need for manual edits and reducing the chance of mismatched tags. It’s a must-have tool for frontend developers working with HTML, JSX, XML, and similar markup languages.
To install the Auto Rename Tag extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install formulahendry.auto-rename-tag Alternatively, you can install Auto Rename Tag directly by following this link.
The Path Intellisense extension boosts productivity by automatically suggesting file and folder names as you type file paths in your code. Whether you’re importing a module, referencing an image, or linking to a stylesheet, this extension helps you avoid typos and speeds up the process of writing file paths, especially in large projects with complex directory structures.
To install the Path Intellisense extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install christian-kohler.path-intellisense Alternatively, you can install Path Intellisense directly by following this link.
Tabnine is an AI-powered code completion tool that helps developers write code faster and with fewer errors. It leverages machine learning to suggest intelligent code completions based on the context of your project, your coding habits, and industry best practices. Tabnine supports multiple languages and integrates with various IDEs, making it a versatile choice to boost productivity across diverse development environments.
To install the Tabnine extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install TabNine.tabnine-vscode Alternatively, you can install Tabnine directly by following this link.
The C# Dev Kit extension transforms Visual Studio Code into a powerful development environment for C# by offering enhanced support for project management, debugging, and code navigation. Built by Microsoft, it streamlines the C# development experience by integrating key features like IntelliSense, solution view, and unit test support. This extension is widely used for Blazor and ASP.NET Core development, making it an ideal choice for developers building modern web applications with .NET in a lightweight editor like VS Code.
Installation
To install the C# Dev Kit extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install ms-dotnettools.csdevkit Alternatively, you can install C# Dev Kit directly by following this link.
The Live Server extension enforces auto-reload and simplifies developers’ work by displaying the results of their code directly in the web browser without reloading the page. It spares developers the burden of constantly saving work in the editor and then reloading the browser to see changes. The Live Server extension has more than 2.4 million downloads.
To install the Live Server extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install ritwickdey.liveserver Alternatively, you can install Live Server directly by following this link.
Rest Client is another popular VS Code extension with more than 2.6 million downloads. It allows developers to send HTTP requests and read the return message directly in VS Code.
To install the Rest Client extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install humao.rest-client Alternatively, you can install Rest Client directly by following this link.
Docker is not a new thing for modern developers. The Docker extension for VS Code brings all its container management features to your favorite code editor. It has more than 17 million downloads and can be used to create, manage, and debug containerized applications with a few clicks.
To use Docker in Visual Studio Code, follow these steps:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install ms-azuretools.vscode-docker Alternatively, you can install Docker directly by following this link.
The Peacock extension is useful for changing the color of your workspace when you have multiple code editor windows active at once. It’s useful to distinguish among the various code editor windows and projects. The Peacock extension has more than 1.7 million downloads.
To install the Peacock extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install johnpapa.vscode-peacock Alternatively, you can install Peacock directly by following this link.
Prettier is one of the most popular VS Code extensions at the moment. It helps developers follow a standard style guide and maintain the same styles across the development team. With Prettier, you can quickly clean and format your code base to remove inconsistencies. More than 23 million developers have downloaded the VS Code Prettier extension so far.
To install the Prettier extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install esbenp.prettier-vscode Alternatively, you can install Prettier directly by following this link.
Stylelint is a simple, automated linter add-on for VS Code, capable of highlighting code problems, stylistic errors, bugs, and other dubious constructs. In addition, it forces the development team to follow a set of defined stylistic rules to prevent junk in the code.
To install the Stylelint extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install stylelint.vscode-stylelint Alternatively, you can install Stylelint directly by following this link.
Import Cost shows an estimated import package size in your code. It can be used to prevent importing hefty packages into your project and ultimately improve application performance. It displays the package size as soon as you import the library in the VS Code editor.
To install the Import Cost extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install wix.vscode-import-cost Alternatively, you can install Import Cost directly by following this link.
The SonarLint VS Code extension is used to find issues in the code even before they arise. It identifies security flaws and defects as you develop the code in VS Code and allows you to fix them before merging the changes. SonarLint has more than 1.2 million downloads, and its straightforward interface and functions are one of the main developer attractions.
To install the SonarLint extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install SonarSource.sonarlint-vscode Alternatively, you can install SonarLint directly by following this link.
The SonarLint extension requires Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 11 or higher to function properly.
For full details on setup and requirements, refer to the SonarLint documentation.
The Remote – SSH VS Code extension allows developers to use any remote PC with an SSH server as their IDE. Most importantly, it does not require the source code to be on your local machine. Instead, it directly executes commands and other VS IDE extensions on the remote computer. As Remote-SSH is highly useful, it has more than 12 million downloads.
To install the Remote – SSH extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh Alternatively, you can install Remote – SSH directly by following this link.
GitLens is a fantastic open-source extension for VS Code that allows developers to visualize code authorship instantly. With GitLens, you can find out by whom, why, and when a change was made to a code line within seconds and navigate among different versions of the code instantly. It has more than 16 million downloads.
Install the GitLens extension in Visual Studio Code by following this Visual Studio Code Marketplace link.
Quokka.js is another super useful VS Code extension for web developers for quick JavaScript and TypeScript prototyping. It immediately displays the results, inline console logs, expression values, and error messages as you modify the code. Ultimately, it speeds up the process of learning, prototyping, and testing the code. The Quokka.js extension has more than 1.8 million downloads.
To install the Quokka.js extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette.ext install WallabyJs.quokka-vscodeAlternatively, you can install Quokka.js directly by following this link.
Live Share is a VS Code extension that provides in-the-moment developer collaboration. Users can share a session with another person, enabling them to collaborate on the server, debug sessions, and changing code. The Live Share extension has more than 9.3 million downloads.
To install the Live Share extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install MS-vsliveshare.vsliveshareAlternatively, you can install Live Share directly by following this link.
The Syncfusion® Document Viewer extension for Visual Studio Code enables developers to seamlessly view Word, Excel, CSV, and TSV files directly within VS Code with no need to switch apps. With features like read-only mode across all formats, along with sorting and filtering for spreadsheets, this extension enhances productivity by keeping data management and analysis in the VS Code environment.
To install the Syncfusion® Document Viewer extension in Visual Studio Code:
Ctrl + P to open the command palette. ext install SyncfusionInc.Document-Viewer-VSCode-Extensions Alternatively, you can install Syncfusion® Document Viewer directly by following this link.
This article discusses 20 VS Code extensions you can use to improve your programming skills and productivity. However, you should not install a bunch of extensions in your editor without an actual need. You need to understand your requirements and be selective about your extensions. I hope my suggestions help you choose the best VS Code extensions for your project. Thank you for reading!
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