10 essential Visual Studio Code extensions every IT Engineer should use

damian@damiankrawczyk.com (Damian Krawczyk) — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

If you use Visual Studio Code for your work, check these extensions. I’m sure they will speed up your work.

Marp for VS Code

Create simple slide decks as code using Markdown markup language.

Install the Marp for VS Code extension.
Create a new file type, Marp Markdown.
Use Markdown syntax to create slides.
If you want to add a Table of Contents based on Markdown headings to generated pdf file, go to extension’s settings. Look for setting named Markdown › Marp › Pdf: Outlines and change its value from off to headings.

Simple slide in Marp. (extension’s author image)

Read more about the Marpit Markdown syntax to know how to suit slides to your needs.

Insert Date String

An easy way to insert the current date and time thanks to an extension created by Jakub Synowiec.

Install the Insert Date String extension.
Insert date and time:
- cmd⌘ Shift⇧ + I (macOS)
- Ctrl Shift + I (Windows/Linux)
If you want to change the format of the date and time, go to extension’s settings. Look for setting named Insert Date String: Format and change it’s value:
- default value
  YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss
```
2021-12-30 09:07:11
```
- UTC Time offset value included
  YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZZZZ
```
2021-12-30T09:07:52+0100
```

Read more about the Insert Date String in Usage instruction.

Git Graph

If you use git, this is the extension that will help you to visualize your git log.

Install the Git Graph extension.
Go to Source Control or use the key combination:
- cmd⌘ Shift⇧ + G (macOS)
- Ctrl Shift + G (Windows/Linux)
Click on the View Git Graph (git log) icon.

Git Graph example (extension’s author image)

Read more about Git Graph in the Extension Settings documentation.

Code Spell Checker

If you write a lot, fixing your typos and grammatical errors with the Code Spell Checker is worth it.

Install the Code Spell Checker extension.
Position the cursor in the word which you want to change
Click on the lightbulb icon 💡 which will appear in the left hand or use the shortcut:
- cmd⌘ + . (macOS)
- Ctrl + . (Windows/Linux)
Choose a suggested correction to apply.

Code Spell Checker example (extension’s author image)

If you speak other languages, check the list of available dictionaries, e.g., Polish - Code Spell Checker. Read more about Code Spell Checker on the extension page.

Open

Check out the Open extension if you need to open, e.g., an Image with a default application or an Excel document directly from Visual Studio Code.

Install the Open extension.
Go to file Explorer, or use the shortcut:
- cmd⌘ Shift⇧ + E (macOS)
- Ctrl Shift + E (Windows/Linux)
Click RMB (right mouse button) on the file.
Select the option Open with default application.

Duplicate action

If you have a template file or template catalog with many files, thanks to this extension, you can easily duplicate them at once.

Install the Duplicate action extension.
Go to file Explorer, or use the shortcut:
- cmd⌘ Shift⇧ + E (macOS)
- Ctrl Shift + E (Windows/Linux)
Click RMB (right mouse button) on the file or directory.
Select the option Duplicate.
Enter the new path for the duplicate.

Markdown All in One

If you write in Markdown files, your work will be much easier. Try it out.

Install the Markdown All in One extension.
Open any Markdown file.
Try to create a list as in the example below.

List editing (extension’s author image)
Paste a link on the selected text.

Paste link on selected text (extension’s author image)

Read more about Markdown All in One on the extension page.

Todo Tree

This extension may help you if, in your project, you work on many files at the same time and you want to make some corrections later on. You can easily find all your TODO items.

Install the Todo Tree extension.
Open file.
Make a comment in your file, you can use the shortcut:
- cmd⌘ + / (macOS)
- Ctrl + / (Windows/Linux)
Add TODO: in your comment, e.g., in the Markdown file: 
Go to TODOs explorer in the sidebar.
Go through all your to-do items easily.

Todo Tree example (extension’s author image)

Read more about Todo Tree on the extension page.

Bookmarks

If you need to analyze huge files with many lines, this extension may help you bookmark lines you already verified.

Install the Bookmarks extension.
Open file.
Add or remove bookmark using the shortcut:
- alt⌥ cmd⌘ + K (macOS)
- alt Ctrl + K (Windows/Linux)
Go to Bookmarks explorer in the sidebar.
Go through all your bookmarks quickly.

Bookmarks example (extension’s author image)

Read more about Bookmarks on the extension page.

Foam

If you want to build your knowledge base based on markdown files, you should try the Obsidian. Still, there is an extension that will help you achieve a similar experience in Visual Studio Code. It’s helpful if your knowledge base consists of different code files.

Install the Foam extension.
Create your knowledge base structure using the template suggested in the Getting started instruction.
Open Command Palette
- cmd⌘－Shift⇧ P (macOS)
- Ctrl－Shift P (Windows/Linux)
Type in Foam
Select, e.g., Foam: Open Today's Note to create a note for the day.
Suit with templates to your specific need.

Foam Daily Note example (extension’s author image)

Read more about Foam on the project website.

How to quickly open folder in Visual Studio Code and other applications in macOS?

damian@damiankrawczyk.com (Damian Krawczyk) — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In this note, you will read how to use Automator in macOS to speed up some of your activities. It makes it easier for me to get around macOS every day.

Open in Visual Studio Code

Open Automator.
Go to File > New.
Choose Quick Action.
Change Workflow Receives current to files or folders in Finder.app.
Add a Run Shell Script action by drag and drop.
Change Pass input to as arguments.

Copy and paste the following in the shell script box:

for f in "$@"
do
 open -n -b "com.microsoft.VSCode" --args "$f"
done

Go to File > Save and save it as e.g. Open in Visual Studio Code.
Go to Finder.
Click RMB (right mouse button) on folder or file.
Choose from menu Quick Actions > Open in Visual Studio Code.

Tip

If you have Path Bar enabled in Finder (alt⌥－cmd⌘ P) and you want to use this Quick Action also in Path Bar, click RMB (right mouse button) on folder or file in Path Bar and choose from context menu Services > Open in Visual Studio Code.

Open in Visual Studio Code, based on jnovack post @ stackoverflow.com CC BY-SA 4.0

Open in pyCharm

Open Automator.
Go to File > New.
Choose Quick Action.
Change Workflow Receives current to files or folders in Finder.app.
Add a Run Shell Script action by drag and drop.
Change Pass input to as arguments.

Copy and paste the following code to action Run Shell Script:

for f in "$@"
do
 open -n -b "com.jetbrains.pycharm.ce" --args "$f"
done

Go to File > Save and save it as e.g. Open in PyCharm.
Go to Finder.
Click RMB (right mouse button) on folder or file.
Choose from menu Quick Actions > Open in PyCharm.

Tip

If you have Path Bar enabled in Finder (alt⌥－cmd⌘ P) and you want to use this Quick Action from Path Bar, click RMB (right mouse button) on folder or file in Path Bar and choose from menu Services > Open in PyCharm.

Damian Krawczyk – Notes