These days whenever it happens to web development, Visual Studio Code comes as one of the top-most favorite choices of IDEs. Besides being absolutely free of cost and open-source, it also has an immense community supporting it.
In fact, with the use of VS Code, every developer can get access to numerous extensions with the use of just a single click.
Well, extensions are outside resources that help you enhance the built-in abilities of the VS Code. In this section, we will have a look at the top 12 extensions to enhance our JavaScript developing skills.
One of the most exceptional things about Visual Studio Code is the capability to enhance its capabilities by the addition of outside extensions. There are lots of extensions in the industry, however.
VS Code Extensions by Category
For this post, I’ll concentrate on VS Code extensions particularly targeting JavaScript developers. Currently, there are numerous VS Code extensions that meet this standard, which of course implies I won’t be able to consider each of them.
So despite all that, here I’ll highlight VS Code extensions that have attained popularity and those that are essential for JavaScript developers. For uniformity, I’ll arrange them in some categories.
Snippet Extensions
When you first get the VS Code, it begins with various built-in snippets for Typescript and JavaScript. Snippets help you write repeated code instantly. However, you may discover these are not sufficient.
You can simply create your personal, or you can easily install an expansion that involves a group of new helpful snippets.
Syntax Highlighting Extensions
The advanced version of the VS Code currently helps to colorize various variable as well as function references. It’s now much more equivalent to the Atom.io editor grammar, so extensions like JavaScript Atom Grammar are no longer required.
Linter Extensions
If you have ever gone into a discussion with your teammates on semicolons vs no semicolons, you’ll know that people have influential ideas about which coding method to use. Nevertheless, everyone requires using the same coding style in a specific project.
However, it’s quite normal for programmers to forget which coding styling they should prefer using. To implement the practices, we ought to maintain rules.
You can build your personal or simply utilize one of the common coding style patterns like Google, Airbnb, or Standard. You’re free to customize them in a case if there is any certain practice you don’t want to take place.
Node Extensions
Each JavaScript project is expected to possess at least one Node package except your someone who likes doing things the difficult way. Here are some VS Code extensions that will help you go with Node modules more efficiently.
Formatting Extensions
There comes a time when many programmers write code that is out of the order with the remaining of code. To get this, we need to go back and fix the indentation in every line.
In addition, we need to assure braces and tags are well formatted in a simple format. This process can instantly get tedious.
Browser Extensions
If you are writing a console program in Javascript, then it is certain that you’re making use of Javascript in a search engine browser. This signifies that you will need to refresh the web pages frequently to see the outcomes of the code that you have had updated.
Rather than doing the same thing repeatedly, you can make use of some tools which would thereby reduce the time of development.
Have a look at some of those tools
Framework Extensions
For many projects, you’ll require a proper framework to outline the code and cut down the initial time. VS Code offers support for some vital structures by extensions. However, there are still plenty of installed frameworks that don’t have a wholly formed extension until now. Here are a few of the VS Code extensions that provide much functionality.
Testing Extensions
Testing is a crucial element of the software development process, particularly for projects which are in the initial phase. You can get a full overview of testing in JavaScript and get to know about more tests which you could execute in your tasks.
The best options here would be Unit, Functional and Integration tests. You have got many options for VS code extensions which you could make use of.
In this section, we’ll be talking about the top-notch extensions that will drastically enhance the javascript code you have created in the VS code.
ESLinte
This is one of the configurable and pluggable linter tools for reporting and identifying numerous patterns of the code. ESLint further helps you in maintaining the quality of your code and structure.
In fact, by adding this ESLint to the VS code, you will be able to auto-format the code and enforce the well-structured, cleaner code.
Getting ESLint
This VS code extension can be easily available in the marketplace. Once you make a research for it on the search engine, then you’ll be simply able to get the link, and once you get it, you just need to install it.
One other method to do this is by VS code itself. So, in a case, if you wish to install extensions in VS code itself, here’s the proper way to do that:
Prior to the main info section, here’s the note for you: When it comes to the latest version of VS Code, you will not require to reload the VS code while installing an extension.
Once you’re done with the installation, you can easily configure ESLint as per your choice. For example, you can manage it in a way through which you could set the code in your preferred way. Additionally, the linting features of ESLint will enable you to stay consistent in the complete development process.
Debugger for Chrome
This VS Code extension is primarily used for debugging the code written in JavaScript, which is running in the Chrome browser.
With the help of this extension, you could save the stress of switching context constantly to perform debugging functions.
Getting Debugger for Chrome
You can easily get the debugger for chrome extension from the VS code marketplace. Once you find this extension in the marketplace, you simply need to open that link and make installation of it on your VS Code.
Other than that, you can also get this straightway from the VS Code. For that, you just need to click the extension icon, searching for the Debugger for chrome extension and installing it.
The best part of this VS code is that you will not need to reload the code again while installing an extension.
More Features
Once you install this, then you will get access to all the features which are associated with an extension. These features will be viewing the console outputs, instantly added scripts, script tags, and steeping through coding.
Limitations
Despite all the perks, it is important to consider the limitation of it as well. One of the limitations of this chrome extension is that it debugs web workers.
JavaScript (ES6) Code Snippets
This is a VS code extension which contains different code snippets for Javascript code in ES6 syntax for VS Code. Furthermore, JavaScript (ES6) Code Snippets supports TypeScript and JavaScript as well.
Well, snippet extensions are very much common when it happens to the VS Code. This one is even more useful as it enables you to instantly append ES6 codes to your outline with a number of keystrokes.
Supported Languages
JavaScript (ES6) Code Snippets supports many more other languages rather than JavaScripts; Let’s have a look at those languages:
- TypeScript React
- HTML
- JavaScript React
- Vue and many more
Now, let’s have a look at some snippets and their triggers that you should certainly know:
Well, there’s a long list of these snippets and their respective triggers for your use. Have a look at them:
Availing JavaScript (ES6) Code Snippets
Just like the above-mentioned snippets, you can avail JavaScript (ES6) code snippets directly from the VS Code Marketplace.
Bracket Pair Colorizer
Bracket Pair Colorizer is assumed to be one of the most preferred options. The best part is that it gives amazing aesthetic feels to your code and helps you automatically match all the braces.
Many times, whenever the code gets extended, it gets difficult to keep track of parentheses, square brackets, and braces.
In fact, it is completely customizable as well so you can define the kinds of symbols which you want to associate and match with the defined colors of your own choice.
Getting Bracket Pair Colorizer
In order to get bracket pair colorizer, you need to go to the marketplace and press the Install button to initiate the installation process in the VS Code. However, you can also get this installed directly from the VS code. For that, you just need to make research through the extension icon.
Path Intellisense
This is another great option to proceed further with. You all will agree with the thing that is remembering the exact paths of files are a really troublesome task, and in order to make this task easier, Path Intellisense is here for you.
It makes filenames for you by itself so that you don’t need to worry about memorizing all the storage locations and their filenames.
Well, it is worth stating that this specific feature comes preloaded in a few projects. So, you may not require to get special extensions for it.
Getting Path Intellisense
You can easily get the Path Intellisense extension on the VS Code Marketplace since it is easily available on it. Rather than that, you can also get this extension installed directly from VS code extensions section or from npm.
Quokka.js
Quokka.js is a kind of playground for TypeScript and JavaScript. This enables you to run the code immediately (as soon as you type) and show execution results in the code editor.
While many people think Quokka is a very good tool for prototyping, debugging, and testing, but it is not true as it can really be a disturbance when it happens to write tests for some parts of the code.
Fira Code
Fira Code is one of the most preferable programming fonts with connections that can let you examine the complete code a lot quicker once you become used to them. However, it demands a couple of actions more than installing an extension to fix it up as your editor’s font, but it’s not difficult at all.
If you wish to get your coding section to seem a bit desirable, influence a co-worker, or simply make those corresponding operators more comfortable on the eyes, this is surely worth examining out.
Babel JavaScript
This Babel JavaScript is something which should be there when you get the VS Code at the very initial time. The best part about Babel JavaScript is that it supports React, JSX syntax highlighting and ES201x, which is actually the best thing for the people who are working with some different kind of web application.
Indeed, this is something which will definitely make a difference in the coding later on, which would actually work great for you.
Live server
Live Server offers you with an effortless approach to serve latent and effective pages of VS Code, while it further let you do live to reload. And if you’re pretty much familiar with any npm packages that work in a similar way, out ought to check with this option.
GitLens
GitLens is one another popular VS code extensions, which is very much useful as well. There are many features which you would be able to avail, and some of those are code authorship, recent changes activity heatmaps, and a lot more.
This VS Code extension would be one of the best options to move forward with, in a case if you are working/or willing to work with more than one contributor.
After knowing about all these, now you might be wondering How to get these extensions?
Here is the answer to your questions. In order to get these extensions, you can download the VS Code. In this, you can check out some things that you can do with the VS Code.
Once you are done with that then, just make use of the search bar to explore for the extension of your preference on the extension tab.
Summary
VS Code’s quality extensions make it the most preferable choice for JavaScript developers. It’s never been simpler to write JavaScript code this effectively. Extensions such as ESLint help you bypass basic errors, while others like Debugger for Chrome help you debug the complete code more efficiently.
Node.js extensions with their IntelliSense features let you import modules perfectly, and the availability of tools such as Live Server and REST client decreases your dependence on other tools to complete the work.
These are just a few extensions out of hundreds and hundreds of more, although there are a lot more and these are not necessarily the best, however, most of these extensions are must-haves for JavaScript developers.
I hope the list of extensions that been introduced to you above may help you in the workflow. Rather than that if you have any other VS Code extensions that would have work great than please go ahead and share them in the comment section.
