Top 10 VS Code Extensions for Web Developers

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is one of the most popular code editors for web developers. It offers a rich set of features, such as syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging, formatting, and more. But what makes VS Code even more powerful is its extensibility. You can install extensions that enhance your coding experience and productivity.

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In this blog post, we will introduce you to the top 10 VS Code extensions for web developers. These extensions will help you with various aspects of web development, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, Vue, Node.js, and more. Let’s get started!

1. Live Server

Live Server is a must-have extension for web developers who work with static websites. It allows you to launch a local development server with live reload feature. This means that whenever you save a file in your project, the browser will automatically refresh and show the latest changes. No more manual reloading!

To use Live Server, simply right-click on your HTML file and select “Open with Live Server”. Alternatively, you can use the “Live Server: Open with Live Server” command from the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P). You can also customize the port number, host name, and other settings in the extension settings.

2. Prettier

Prettier is a code formatter that enforces a consistent style across your code base. It supports many languages and frameworks, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Vue, Angular, and more. Prettier can format your code on save, on paste, or on demand.

To use Prettier, you need to install it as a dev dependency in your project (npm install –save-dev prettier) and create a .prettierrc file to configure your preferences. Then, you can enable the “Editor: Format On Save” option in the VS Code settings to automatically format your code when you save it. You can also use the “Format Document” or “Format Selection” commands from the command palette or the context menu.

3. ESLint

ESLint is a linter that helps you find and fix problems in your JavaScript code. It can detect syntax errors, potential bugs, coding style issues, and more. ESLint can also enforce best practices and coding standards for your project.

To use ESLint, you need to install it as a dev dependency in your project (npm install –save-dev eslint) and create a .eslintrc file to configure your rules. Then, you can enable the “ESLint: Enable” option in the VS Code settings to activate the extension. You will see red squiggles under the problematic code and yellow light bulbs with suggestions to fix them. You can also use the “ESLint: Fix all auto-fixable Problems” command from the command palette or the context menu.

4. Bracket Pair Colorizer

Bracket Pair Colorizer is a simple but useful extension that colors matching brackets in your code. This makes it easier to identify the scope and structure of your code blocks. You can also customize the colors and styles of the brackets in the extension settings.

To use Bracket Pair Colorizer, just install it and enjoy the colorful brackets in your code editor.

5. Auto Rename Tag

Auto Rename Tag is another handy extension that automatically renames paired HTML/XML tags when you edit one of them. This saves you time and prevents typos and errors in your markup.

To use Auto Rename Tag, just install it and start editing your HTML/XML tags.

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6. IntelliSense for CSS class names in HTML

IntelliSense for CSS class names in HTML is an extension that provides autocomplete suggestions for CSS class names in your HTML files. It scans your workspace for CSS files and extracts the class names from them. It also supports Sass, Less, and other CSS preprocessors.

To use IntelliSense for CSS class names in HTML, just install it and start typing class names in your HTML files.

7. JavaScript (ES6) code snippets

JavaScript (ES6) code snippets is an extension that provides code snippets for JavaScript (ES6) development. It supports various features and syntax of ES6, such as arrow functions, classes, modules, promises, generators, async/await, and more. It also supports React, TypeScript, and Vue.

To use JavaScript (ES6) code snippets, just install it and start typing the prefix of the snippet you want to insert. For example, typing “imp” will give you a snippet for importing a module.

8. Debugger for Chrome

Debugger for Chrome is an extension that allows you to debug your JavaScript code running in Google Chrome from VS Code. You can set breakpoints, watch variables, inspect the call stack, evaluate expressions, and more.

To use Debugger for Chrome, Install it Launch Google Chrome with remote debugging enabled (–remote-debugging-port=9222)

Create a launch.json file in your project folder with the following configuration:

{ “version”: “0.2.0”, “configurations”: [ { “type”: “chrome”, “request”: “launch”, “name”: “Launch Chrome”, “url”: “http://localhost:8080”, “webRoot”: “${workspaceFolder}” } ] }

Adjust the url and webRoot properties according to your project Press F5 to start debugging

9. Angular Language Service

Angular Language Service is an extension that provides rich editing and navigation features for Angular templates. It can provide autocomplete suggestions, error checking, quick info, go to definition, rename refactoring, and more.

To use Angular Language Service, Install it , Open an Angular project,Enjoy the enhanced editing experience in your HTML files

10. Vetur

Vetur is an extension that provides comprehensive support for Vue.js development. It supports features such as syntax highlighting, code completion,error checking, formatting, debugging, linting, testing, scaffolding, and more.

To use Vetur, Install it Open a Vue.js project Enjoy the full-fledged Vue.js development environment in VS Code

These are some of the best VS Code extensions for web developers that we recommend you to try out. Of course, there are many more extensions that you can explore and experiment with depending on your needs and preferences.

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