10 Must-Have VS Code Extensions for Developers in 2024

VS Code is the most popular code editor, and the right extensions can boost productivity, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. Here are the 10 best extensions every developer should install.

1. GitHub Copilot (AI-Powered Coding Assistant)

🔹 Why? AI suggests real-time code completions based on context.
🔹 Best For: Faster coding in Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust.
🔹 Pro Tip: Use Ctrl+Enter to see multiple suggestions.

2. Prettier (Code Formatter)

🔹 Why? Automatically formats code on save (supports JS, TS, HTML, CSS, JSON).
🔹 Best For: Teams enforcing consistent style.
🔹 Pro Tip: Add to .vscode/settings.json:

"editor.formatOnSave": true

3. ESLint (JavaScript/TypeScript Linter)

🔹 Why? Catches bugs & style issues in JS/TS.
🔹 Best For: React, Node.js, and Angular projects.
🔹 Pro Tip: Pair with Prettier for auto-fixing.

4. Live Server (Instant Local Dev Server)

🔹 Why? Launches a live-reloading server for HTML/CSS/JS.
🔹 Best For: Frontend developers.
🔹 Pro Tip: Right-click an HTML file → “Open with Live Server”.

5. Docker (Container Management)

🔹 Why? Manage Docker containers, images & compose files directly in VS Code.
🔹 Best For: DevOps & backend developers.
🔹 Pro Tip: Debug containers without leaving the editor.

6. REST Client (API Testing Without Postman)

🔹 Why? Send HTTP requests directly from VS Code.
🔹 Best For: Backend devs testing APIs.
🔹 Example:

GET https://api.example.com/users

7. GitLens (Supercharged Git Integration)

🔹 Why? See git blame, history & diffs inline.
🔹 Best For: Teams collaborating on Git.
🔹 Pro Tip: Use “CodeLens” to track changes.

8. Remote – SSH (Code on Remote Servers)

🔹 Why? Edit files directly on a Linux server via SSH.
🔹 Best For: Cloud & DevOps engineers.
🔹 Pro Tip: Works with Docker & WSL too.

9. Error Lens (Inline Error Highlighting)

🔹 Why? Shows errors & warnings directly in code.
🔹 Best For: Faster debugging.
🔹 Supports: Python, TypeScript, Go, Rust.

10. TabNine (AI Autocomplete)

🔹 Why? Predicts code based on your projects (like Copilot but local).
🔹 Best For: Faster coding in any language.
🔹 Pro Tip: Works offline (unlike Copilot).

Bonus: Honorable Mentions

Thunder Client (Lightweight Postman alternative)
Code Runner (Run snippets in 50+ languages)
Bracket Pair Colorizer (Matching brackets in different colors)

Final Setup Recommendation

Install all 10 extensions (or pick based on your stack).
Sync settings with Settings Sync extension.
Customize keybindings for efficiency.