13 Essential VS Code Plugins that Supercharge Your Workflow
Tags: beginners, programming, tutorial
Published: 2024-01-05 06:47:27

If you're like me, constantly on the lookout for tools that make coding not just easier but also a bit more fun, you're going to love this. I've been tinkering with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for a while now, and it's safe to say that it's my go-to editor for just about everything coding-related. But what really takes VS Code from good to great are the plugins. They're like these little magic wands that, with a flick (or a click), transform your coding experience.

So, I thought, why not share my top 13 VS Code plugins with you? These are the ones I find myself using all the time, and they've been absolute game-changers in how I code, debug, and manage my projects. Let's dive in and check out these awesome tools that can give your coding productivity a serious boost!

### 1. Live Server
A vital tool for front-end development, Live Server provides a local development server for real-time preview and debugging of web applications. Its hot reload feature instantly reflects code changes in the browser, automatically refreshing upon saving HTML, CSS, or JavaScript files.

![](https://github.com/ritwickdey/vscode-live-server/raw/HEAD/images/Screenshot/vscode-live-server-animated-demo.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ritwickdey.LiveServer

### 2. TODO Highlights V2
This plugin assists developers in identifying and managing TODOs within the code. It visually marks comments containing TODOs or FIXMEs, making them easier to locate and address.

![](https://github.com/wayou/vscode-todo-highlight/raw/master/assets/material-night.png)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jgclark.vscode-todo-highlight

### 3. Markdown Preview Github Styling
Enhancing Markdown previews, this plugin allows real-time previewing of .md files in GitHub style, updating as you write. It improves readability and is highly customizable, ideal for technical documentation.

![](https://github.com/mjbvz/vscode-github-markdown-preview-style/raw/master/docs/example.png)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=bierner.markdown-preview-github-styles

### 4. VSCode Icons
VSCode Icons enhances the editor's visual appeal and recognizability by adding icons to files and folders, aiding in understanding project structure.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vscode-icons/vscode-icons/master/images/screenshot.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vscode-icons-team.vscode-icons

### 5. Tabnine
An advanced code completion plugin, Tabnine uses machine learning to provide AI powered coding suggestions in real-time for various programming languages.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codota/tabnine-vscode/master/assets/completions-main.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TabNine.tabnine-vscode

### 6. CodeSnap
CodeSnap allows developers to capture and share code snippets as images, facilitating easy sharing of code examples.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kufii/CodeSnap/master/examples/material_operator-mono.png)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=adpyke.codesnap

### 7. CSS Peek
Facilitating easy navigation in CSS stylesheets, CSS Peek helps in finding and maneuvering through classes, IDs, selectors, and style definitions.

![](https://github.com/pranaygp/vscode-css-peek/raw/master/readme/working.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=pranaygp.vscode-css-peek

### 8. Prettier - Code Formatter
Prettier automatically formats code in multiple languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, JSON, CSS, and HTML, eliminating the need for manual formatting.

![](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=esbenp.prettier-vscode)

### 9. Git Graph
Git Graph visually represents Git operations in a repository, similar to SourceTree, enabling easy updates, commits, and code reviews.

![](https://github.com/mhutchie/vscode-git-graph/raw/master/resources/demo.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mhutchie.git-graph

### 10. Vue Language Features (Volar)
This plugin enhances Vue code with syntax highlighting, error checking, formatting, and provides suggestions for Vue directives and event handlers.

![](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3253920/145134536-7bb090e9-9dcd-4a61-8096-3c47d6c1a699.png)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Vue.volar

### 11. Auto Close Tag
Automatically adds closing tags in HTML and supports custom component names in Vue, streamlining the coding process.

![](https://github.com/formulahendry/vscode-auto-close-tag/raw/HEAD/images/st3.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=formulahendry.auto-close-tag

### 12. Auto Rename Tag
This plugin automatically renames matching opening and closing HTML tags, ensuring consistency and preventing errors.

![](https://github.com/formulahendry/vscode-auto-rename-tag/raw/HEAD/images/usage.gif)

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=formulahendry.auto-rename-tag

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Each of these plugins contributes significantly to the efficiency and effectiveness of coding in VS Code. They not only enhance productivity but also make the coding experience more enjoyable!