Five Visual Studio Code extensions that are worth sharing

In the dynamic world of coding, Visual Studio Code stands out with its limitless extensions. While big names like Prettier, GitHub Copilot, or Eslint grab the spotlight, let’s not overlook the hidden gems. Here’s a quick look at five VS Code extensions that are too good to stay in the shadows.

1. .run

The .run extension is a game-changer for developers who want to test code snippets quickly and efficiently. It eliminates the need to toggle between your editor and the command line, allowing you to execute scripts or code blocks directly within VS Code. This extension supports a wide range of programming languages, making it versatile for developers working in diverse tech stacks. Its ease of use and integration into the VS Code environment makes .run an essential tool for speeding up the development process.

2. Postman

Postman’s extension for VS Code is a blessing for developers working on API development and testing. It integrates the functionality of Postman, a leading tool for API testing, directly into the editor. This means you can send API requests, review responses, and even debug directly from VS Code. The extension simplifies the workflow by minimizing the need to switch between applications, enhancing productivity and focus. It’s particularly useful for developers looking to streamline their API development process within their coding environment.

3. Quokka

Quokka brings an interactive coding experience to JavaScript developers by providing real-time feedback and results as you write your code. This instant evaluation helps users identify errors early, understand code behavior, and experiment with logic without waiting for a complete run. It’s incredibly beneficial for learning new concepts or debugging complex algorithms. Quokka effectively turns VS Code into a dynamic playground, encouraging exploration and experimentation in a way that’s both efficient and fun.

4. Indent Rainbow

Indent Rainbow takes the visual aspect of coding to the next level by color-coding indentation levels in your code. This not only makes your code more visually appealing but significantly enhances readability and comprehensibility of the structure. By using different colors for each indentation level, it becomes much easier to identify code blocks and their hierarchies at a glance. This is especially helpful in large files or when working with nested structures, making code navigation and debugging more intuitive.

5. Better Comments

The Better Comments extension revolutionizes code annotation by allowing developers to categorize and color-code their comments. If, unlike Douglas Crawford, you’re satisfied with notepad.exe as a code editor and want to leverage the human ability to differentiate colors, the functionality offered by Better Comments makes it easy to distinguish between different types of comments, such as tasks, questions, and highlights, improving the overall readability and maintainability of code. It encourages more effective communication within teams and ensures that important notes and to-dos stand out. For developers looking to enhance their code documentation practices, Better Comments offers a simple yet powerful solution.

Each of these extensions enriches the VS Code experience by addressing specific needs of the development process, from improving code readability to streamlining testing workflows. By adopting these tools, developers can enjoy a more organized, efficient, and pleasant coding journey. And if you feel like you’re always too focused on the coding problem you need to solve, you can always add VS Code Pets to your arsenal of extensions.