How to Set Up Visual Studio Code (VSCode) on Mac or Windows

In this article, I'll share with you a step-by-step process for setting up VSCode on Mac or Windows:

For Windows

  1. Open your web browser and go to the VSCode download page.
  2. Click on the "Download for Windows" button.
  3. Once the download is complete, open the downloaded .exe file once the download is finished.
  4. Follow the installation prompts:
    • Accept the agreement.
    • Choose the installation location (the default is usually fine).
    • Select additional tasks (it's recommended to check "Add to PATH" and "Create a desktop icon").
  5. Click "Install" and wait for the installation to complete.
  6. Click "Finish" to launch VSCode.

For Mac

  1. Open your web browser and go to the VSCode download page.
  2. Click on the "Download for macOS" button.
  3. Once the download is complete, open the downloaded .zip file.
  4. Drag the Visual Studio Code application to the Applications folder.
  5. Open the Applications folder and double-click on Visual Studio Code to launch it.

When you first open VSCode, you might see a welcome screen. You can explore this or close it to get to the main interface. You may be prompted to install recommended extensions for your setup. You can install them to get additional functionality.

Start Coding!

Once the application running you can start writing code:

  1. Create a new file by clicking File > New File.
  2. Save it with an appropriate extension (e.g., .py for Python, .html for HTML).
  3. Start writing your code!

Open an Existing Folder or File

To start working on an existing project or file, you'll need to open a folder or a file:

  • Click on File in the top menu.
  • Select Open Folder... or Open File....
  • Navigate to the folder or file you want to open and click Open.

If you are still a little lost, use the extensive documentation available on the VSCode website.

You can also leave your questions in the comments below or in the Codú Discord.

VscodeBeginner
Avatar for Niall Maher

Written by Niall Maher

Founder of Codú - The web developer community! I've worked in nearly every corner of technology businesses; Lead Developer, Software Architect, Product Manager, CTO and now happily a Founder.

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