Get started with Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Write code yourself with a powerful editor, or describe a task in natural language and let an AI agent plan, edit, and verify the work. Combine both approaches to fit how you like to work.

VS Code runs on your desktop or a remote machine, or you can access it instantly from your browser with VS Code for the Web.

VS Code ships weekly Stable releases with auto-update. To preview upcoming features, install the Insiders build, which ships nightly and runs side by side with Stable.

Prefer to write code yourself first? Start with the editor tutorial instead.

Get started in three steps

New to VS Code? These three steps take you from a fresh install to your first project.

1. Install VS Code. Download the installer for your platform and follow the install steps below.

2. Open your code. Open an existing folder, clone a repository from GitHub, or create a new file to start working.

3. Choose how you want to work. Complete a task with the agents quickstart, or learn the basics of writing code yourself. The agents quickstart walks you through signing in to enable AI features. AI features are optional. You can use VS Code fully as a traditional editor without signing in.

Install VS Code

Review the system requirements for details.

Enable AI features

VS Code has built-in support for AI features like inline suggestions and AI agents that help you with coding tasks. Sign in with GitHub and use your GitHub Copilot subscription to get access to a variety of large language models and other AI features in VS Code.

Follow these steps to get started with Copilot in VS Code:

1. Select Sign In from the VS Code title bar or hover over the Copilot icon in the Status Bar and select Enable AI features.

   

2. Choose a sign-in method and follow the prompts.

   • If you already have a Copilot subscription for your account, VS Code will use that subscription.

   • If you don't have a Copilot subscription yet, you'll be signed up for the Copilot Free plan and get a monthly allowance of inline suggestions and AI credits.

3. Start using Copilot in VS Code!

What you can do with VS Code

VS Code adapts to how you want to work, whether you write every line yourself or hand off tasks to an AI agent. Most workflows combine both. Choose your language model, whether from your GitHub Copilot subscription or your own API key, and pick the agent that fits the task.

• Build with AI agents. Describe what you want in natural language, and an agent plans a solution, edits files across your project, runs commands, and fixes its own errors. Run agents in the Agents window for an agent-first workflow, or in the Chat view while you write code in the editor. Learn more about AI agents in VS Code.

  

• Write, test, and debug code. Edit with IntelliSense, refactoring, and multi-cursor support, then find and fix problems with the built-in debugger and testing tools. Track your work with integrated source control, and add language support for the stack you use.

  

• Extend and customize. Install extensions and MCP servers to add languages, tools, and data sources. Tailor the agent experience to your specific project needs with custom instructions, custom agents, and your choice of language model.

  

Explore VS Code

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