Skip to main content

​
Get Started with VS Code

This guide will walk you through installing VS Code, opening your first project, and using the essential features you’ll need every day.
1

Download and Install

Download VS Code for your platform from code.visualstudio.com.
  1. Download the Windows installer (.exe)
  2. Run the installer
  3. Follow the installation wizard
  4. Launch VS Code from the Start menu
For detailed installation instructions, see the Installation Guide.
2

Open a Project

Start working with your code by opening a folder or file.Open a folder:
  1. Click File > Open Folder (or Ctrl+K Ctrl+O on Windows/Linux, Cmd+K Cmd+O on macOS)
  2. Select your project folder
  3. VS Code will load your project and show the file explorer on the left
Open a file:
  • Click File > Open File (or Ctrl+O / Cmd+O)
  • Select any file to start editing
You can also drag and drop folders or files directly into VS Code.
3

Edit Your Code

VS Code provides powerful editing features out of the box.IntelliSense:
  • Start typing to see smart code completions
  • Press Ctrl+Space to trigger IntelliSense manually
  • Get inline documentation for functions and methods
Quick Navigation:
  • Ctrl+P / Cmd+P - Quick Open: Jump to any file
  • Ctrl+Shift+O / Cmd+Shift+O - Go to Symbol: Navigate within a file
  • F12 - Go to Definition: Jump to where something is defined
  • Shift+F12 - Find All References: See all uses of a symbol
Multi-cursor Editing:
  • Alt+Click / Option+Click - Add cursor at clicked position
  • Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down / Cmd+Option+Up/Down - Add cursor above/below
  • Ctrl+D / Cmd+D - Select next occurrence
4

Use the Integrated Terminal

Access your command line without leaving the editor.
  1. Press Ctrl+` or click Terminal > New Terminal
  2. Run any command in your project directory
  3. Create multiple terminals with the + button
  4. Split terminals with the split icon
# Navigate and run your project
npm install
npm run dev

# Run tests
npm test

# Git commands
git status
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
5

Run and Debug

Debug your code with breakpoints and an interactive debugger.Quick Start:
  1. Open a file you want to debug
  2. Click in the left margin to set a breakpoint (red dot appears)
  3. Press F5 to start debugging
  4. VS Code will prompt you to select a debug configuration
Debug Controls:
  • F5 - Continue / Start
  • F10 - Step Over
  • F11 - Step Into
  • Shift+F11 - Step Out
  • Shift+F5 - Stop
For Node.js projects, VS Code can debug without any configuration. For other languages, you may need to install an extension.
6

Install Extensions

Extend VS Code with language support, themes, and tools.
  1. Click the Extensions icon in the sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  2. Search for the extension you need
  3. Click Install
Popular Extensions:
  • Python - Rich Python language support
  • ESLint - JavaScript and TypeScript linting
  • Prettier - Code formatter
  • GitLens - Supercharge Git capabilities
  • Live Share - Real-time collaborative editing
Extensions run in separate processes and won’t slow down your editor.

​
Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts to boost your productivity:

File Navigation

  • Ctrl/Cmd+P - Quick Open
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Tab - Switch between open files
  • Ctrl/Cmd+W - Close file
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+T - Reopen closed file

Editing

  • Ctrl/Cmd+D - Select next occurrence
  • Ctrl/Cmd+/ - Toggle comment
  • Alt/Option+Up/Down - Move line up/down
  • Shift+Alt/Option+Up/Down - Copy line up/down

Search & Replace

  • Ctrl/Cmd+F - Find in file
  • Ctrl/Cmd+H - Replace in file
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F - Find in files
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+H - Replace in files

View

  • Ctrl/Cmd+B - Toggle sidebar
  • Ctrl/Cmd+` - Toggle terminal
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+E - Explorer
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+D - Debug

​
Quick Tips

Press Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P to open the Command Palette. This gives you access to all VS Code commands. Try typing:
  • “Format Document” - Format your code
  • “Change Language Mode” - Change file language
  • “Preferences: Color Theme” - Switch themes
Open settings with Ctrl+, / Cmd+,. You can:
  • Search for any setting
  • Customize editor behavior
  • Configure language-specific settings
  • Sync settings across devices
VS Code has built-in Git support:
  • Click the Source Control icon (or press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+G)
  • Stage changes by clicking the + icon
  • Write a commit message and press Ctrl/Cmd+Enter
  • Push/pull with the … menu
  • Drag a file from the Explorer to split the editor
  • Or right-click a file and select “Open to the Side”
  • Use Ctrl/Cmd+\ to split the active editor
  • Press Ctrl/Cmd+1/2/3 to focus different editor groups

​
Example Workflow

Here’s a complete example of opening a Node.js project and running it: 
# Clone a repository
git clone https://github.com/example/project.git
cd project

# Open in VS Code
code .

​
Next Steps

Now that you’re familiar with the basics, explore more advanced features:

Installation Options

Learn about different installation methods and options

Architecture

Understand how VS Code is built

Contributing

Contribute to the VS Code project

Build from Source

Build and debug VS Code itself
Need help? Visit Stack Overflow or check out the GitHub issues.