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Visual Studio started as the giant from Microsoft for “serious” developers, which is still a compelling application. But Microsoft was incredibly strategic when the launched Visual Studio Code. It combines the simplicity of a text editor that will enable you to code in hundreds of programming languages. Even for those of you who don’t “develop” Visual Studio Code enables, via plugins, you to use it as a text editor for tasks as writing an article (support markdown), checking JSON files (parses and formats JSON files in one click) and much more.
The tool is so complete that I won’t do it proper service, so please try it. You won’t regret it.
The problem it solves
There are two major issues that it solves:
- Having one environment for all your text needs. Like mentioned before, you can edit the text as well as the code.
- Having a super simple app that you can always have open to performing all your tasks.
Over the years, people searched for tools like this. Notepad comes for windows as BBEdit for the Mac, but both are text editors at their heart. Visual Studio Code is a development environment that became super simple for anyone to use, including developers.
It’s also free and cross-platform, so you can have it in both Windows and macOS, making it the perfect tool even if you switch back and forth between environments.
Why I use it?
I don’t do a lot of development these days, unfortunately, but I use Power Automate a lot. I need to check JSON since all results from actions are provided in that format. It’s a two-step process to import a JSON and see it nicely formatted.
Please select the format, and it shows you a nice JSON.
I have it open 24/7, and it’s my “go-to” app to do anything related to text, except writing these articles. For that, I use my beloved Ulysses, not because VS Code would not handle it, but if you’re interested, I go into detail about why I use it for my articles here.
I can’t stress this enough, but I’ll try. One of the most versatile tools that Microsoft produces, cross-platform and free. What do you want more? 😀
Huge thanks to the Microsoft team that works on this app. The updates are constant, and the tool only gets better over time.
Where you can find it
Want more? Check my other tools suggestions.
Disclaimer
I have no affiliation with this brand or person (people), and the views here are my own. I didn’t have any bad experiences, but if you do, please know that this is a recommendation, and you’re always free to make decisions by yourself before buying something.
