If you’re searching for the Top VS Code Extensions for Developers and DevOps Engineers, you’ve come to the right place. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has become one of the most popular editors for modern software development due to its speed, flexibility, and the massive ecosystem of extensions.
In this post, we’ll highlight the best VS Code extensions every developer and DevOps professional should have installed to boost productivity, streamline workflows, and enable powerful integrations with cloud platforms like Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, and GitHub.
Why Use Extensions in VS Code?
Visual Studio Code has quickly become the go-to code editor for developers, DevOps engineers, and cloud professionals. Its power lies in its simplicity and the rich ecosystem of extensions that can turn it into a full-blown development environment tailored to your needs. Below is a list of the most valuable VS Code extensions you should consider installing to boost your productivity in development and DevOps tasks.
Top Recommended Extensions
1. ESLint
The dbaeumer.vscode-eslint extension integrates ESLint into VS Code to provide real-time linting for JavaScript and TypeScript. It helps you catch bugs, enforce code style, and maintain consistency across your codebase.
2. GitHub Copilot
With github.copilot, GitHub brings AI-powered code suggestions to your fingertips. It predicts your next lines of code based on context, helping you write faster and smarter.
3. GitHub Copilot Chat
This chat-based extension, github.copilot-chat, allows developers to interact with Copilot conversationally. You can ask it to explain code, suggest changes, or even refactor functions.
4. GitHub Repositories
github.remotehub enables browsing and editing GitHub repositories directly from VS Code, without cloning them. It’s perfect for reviewing pull requests or making quick edits.
5. Terraform
hashicorp.terraform provides syntax highlighting, validation, and other features for Terraform, making infrastructure as code easier to manage directly within VS Code.
6. Azure Load Testing
The ms-azure-load-testing.microsoft-testing extension allows you to create and run load tests on your Azure-hosted apps, helping you identify performance bottlenecks early.
7. Azure Developer CLI
ms-azuretools.azure-dev brings the Azure Developer CLI into VS Code, streamlining everything from scaffolding applications to deploying them into the cloud.
8. Azure GitHub Copilot
ms-azuretools.vscode-azure-github-copilot combines GitHub Copilot with Azure-specific scenarios to help generate templates, scripts, and configurations for Azure resources.
9. Azure App Service
With ms-azuretools.vscode-azureappservice, you can deploy and manage your web apps on Azure App Service directly from your editor.
10. Azure Container Apps
The ms-azuretools.vscode-azurecontainerapps extension helps you build, deploy, and monitor microservices running on Azure Container Apps.
11. Azure Functions
Use ms-azuretools.vscode-azurefunctions to create and deploy serverless functions in Azure, with built-in support for triggers, templates, and local debugging.
12. Azure Resource Groups
ms-azuretools.vscode-azureresourcegroups allows quick management of Azure Resource Groups, including viewing, creating, and deleting resources.
13. Azure Static Web Apps
ms-azuretools.vscode-azurestaticwebapps supports full-stack development and deployment of static sites with integrated GitHub workflows.
14. Azure Storage
The ms-azuretools.vscode-azurestorage extension lets you browse blobs, tables, and queues in your Azure Storage account right inside VS Code.
15. Azure Terraform
With ms-azuretools.vscode-azureterraform, you can get integrated support for managing Azure infrastructure with Terraform.
16. Azure Virtual Machines
The ms-azuretools.vscode-azurevirtualmachines extension simplifies VM management tasks like SSH, startup logs, and configuration changes.
17. Containers
ms-azuretools.vscode-containers provides an interface for working with local and remote containers, Docker images, and registries.
18. Azure Cosmos DB
Use ms-azuretools.vscode-cosmosdb to connect, query, and manage your Cosmos DB NoSQL databases seamlessly.
19. Docker
ms-azuretools.vscode-docker is essential for developers working with containers. It simplifies image building, container management, and docker-compose integration.
20. C# Dev Kit
ms-dotnettools.csdevkit enhances C# development with better IntelliSense, project scaffolding, and diagnostics for enterprise-grade .NET apps.
21. C#
The ms-dotnettools.csharp extension adds syntax support, debugging, and IntelliSense for C# and .NET Core applications.
22. .NET Runtime
ms-dotnettools.vscode-dotnet-runtime helps manage and detect the necessary .NET runtime versions required by your projects.
23. Kubernetes Tools
ms-kubernetes-tools.vscode-kubernetes-tools enables full Kubernetes support including YAML validation, Helm chart management, and cluster exploration.
24. Python Debugger
The ms-python.debugpy extension powers Python debugging in VS Code with breakpoints, watches, and call stacks.
25. Python
ms-python.python is the most popular extension for Python development, supporting Jupyter notebooks, IntelliSense, linting, and more.
26. Pylance
With ms-python.vscode-pylance, you get fast, feature-rich language support with type checking and code navigation for Python.
27. Remote Containers
ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers allows you to work inside Docker containers as full-featured development environments.
28. Remote WSL
The ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl extension is perfect for running Linux development environments on Windows using WSL.
29. Azure Repos
With ms-vscode.azure-repos, you can interact with Azure DevOps Git repositories, manage branches, and handle pull requests.
30. PowerShell
The ms-vscode.powershell extension offers full PowerShell editing, debugging, and IntelliSense, ideal for scripting and automation.
31. Remote Repositories
ms-vscode.remote-repositories allows developers to explore and edit remote codebases without cloning them locally.
32. Node.js Azure Pack
The ms-vscode.vscode-node-azure-pack extension enhances Node.js development with Azure services using pre-configured tools and utilities.
33. Windows AI Studio
ms-windows-ai-studio.windows-ai-studio offers an integrated environment for building and deploying Windows-based AI applications.
34. YAML
The redhat.vscode-yaml extension adds schema validation, autocompletion, and error detection—essential for Kubernetes and CI/CD workflows.
35. Live Server
ritwickdey.liveserver creates a local development server with live reload capabilities, perfect for front-end development.
36. Prettier ESLint
rvest.vs-code-prettier-eslint merges Prettier formatting with ESLint linting to keep your JavaScript codebase tidy and consistent.
37. Teams AI Foundry
With teamsdevapp.vscode-ai-foundry, you can build and test AI-powered Microsoft Teams apps, including bots and message extensions.
Closing
VS Code’s flexibility comes from its ability to adapt to every developer’s workflow through extensions. Whether you’re managing infrastructure with Terraform, deploying to Azure, or building AI-powered applications for Microsoft Teams, these extensions empower you to write better code faster. Take the time to explore and install the ones that match your daily development tasks and watch your productivity soar..
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