Installing & Managing Extensions
Extensions are VS Code's superpower. With over 50,000 in the marketplace, you can add language support, debuggers, themes, linters and AI tools in seconds.
1The Extensions Marketplace
Open the Extensions view with Ctrl+Shift+X. You can browse, search, install and manage extensions all from here. Each listing shows ratings, download counts, publisher verification badges, and a changelog.
2Installing Your First Extension
Search for Prettier - Code formatter and click Install. Within seconds it's active — no restart needed. Then set it as the default formatter:
{ "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode", "editor.formatOnSave": true }
3Must-Have Extensions for Every Developer
Here are the extensions almost every developer should install:
- GitLens — supercharged Git history and blame annotations
- Prettier — opinionated code formatter
- ESLint — JavaScript/TypeScript linting
- Path IntelliSense — autocompletes file paths
- Error Lens — inline error messages
- indent-rainbow — coloured indentation guides
- Material Icon Theme — file icons in the Explorer
4Extension Packs
Extension Packs bundle multiple related extensions together. For example, the Python pack installs Pylance, the Python debugger, and Jupyter in one click. Search for "extension pack" to discover curated bundles for your stack.
5Managing, Disabling & Workspace Extensions
Right-click any installed extension to Disable it globally or just Disable (Workspace) — great for keeping heavy extensions off in projects that don't need them. Use @installed, @enabled, @disabled filters in the search box to audit your setup.
code --install-extension esbenp.prettier-vscode code --list-extensions