# Visual Studio Code Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Is Visual Studio Code the right Source Code Management solution for you? Explore 1690 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/186634/Visual-Studio-Code/reviews

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Visual Studio Code

4.8 (1690)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/186634/Visual-Studio-Code/alternatives/)

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

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Last updated March 13th, 2026

# Reviews of Visual Studio Code

Ease of use

4.6

Customer Service

4.2

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

JC

Jerrid C

CEOComputer Software, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“TypeScript, JavaScript, and Python support is excellent, with intelligent code completion, inline errors, and quick fixes that help me catch issues early rather than chasing them down later.“

April 17, 2026

JC

Jerrid C

CEOComputer Software, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“On larger projects or in heavily customized workspaces, I’ve also noticed occasional slowdowns and minor bugs, such as the editor feeling less responsive or certain language features not behaving as expected until I restart.“

April 17, 2026

JC

Jerrid C

CEOComputer Software, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“Security and reliability are largely in my control: by being selective with extensions and keeping an eye on updates, I’ve been able to avoid major issues, though there are occasional bugs or performance hiccups that come with a highly customizable editor.“

April 17, 2026

SC

Stephen C

Systems EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Not a lot of cons but I have noticed that the user interface is not very smooth, and you can get lost easily inside it.“

March 7, 2026

JC

Jerrid C

CEOComputer Software, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“Security-wise, I appreciate that I can control which extensions I install, how they access workspaces, and how my projects connect to external services like GitHub.“

April 17, 2026

MG

Mike G

Member of Technical StaffComputer Hardware, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Very hard to reach out to people from microsoft when there is bug; most VSCode internal plugins like Pylance are still close sourced.“

August 28, 2025

Andrea C

Software EngineerInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Additionally, the capabilities of Remote Development (WSL/SSH) enable me to code on a remote Linux machine as if I were on localhost.“

January 7, 2026

VH

Vaja H

Frontend engineerInformation Technology and Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It does not provide much support for refactoring code when it comes to language like java or like when refactoring object oriented programming languages“

December 20, 2024

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 1690 Reviews

Sort by:

Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Enock N.  
Software developer  
Computer & Network Security  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The review"

April 7, 2026

5.0

Pros

General productivity while using Visual Studio Code is top. I love how one can integrate other extensions

Cons

I really dont like the new 2026 default theme the previous Dark modern was the best. You should allow someone to decide if they want it not just update it automatically one they update VS Code

Review Source

Osama A.  
Full Stack Developer  
Government Administration  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Reliable code editor"

January 23, 2026

4.0

Overall experience with Visual Studio Code is very positive. It is reliable and flexible for both beginners and experienced users.

Pros

It's interface is clean and simple, so even beginners can understand it quickly. Supports many coding languages and has a lot of useful extensions.Has multiple features like auto-complete,syntax highlighting reduce mistakes.The best part is that it is free and regularly updated.

Cons

Visual studio code is sometimes confusing because of too many extensions. Some extension can cause a bug or slow performance.

Alternatives considered

[Sublime Text](https://www.capterra.com/p/179535/Sublime-Text/)

Reason for choosing Visual Studio Code

Because sublime gives more useful features without extra effort.

Review Source

JC

Jerrid C.  
CEO  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "My Go-To Environment for Building and Deploying Client Prototypes"

April 17, 2026

5.0

Overall, Visual Studio Code has become my default environment for almost all of my client work. As a solo founder and developer, I need tools that let me move quickly without getting bogged down in setup or configuration, and VS Code generally delivers on that. The core code editing experience is strong—especially for TypeScript, JavaScript, and Python. The built-in Git integration, debugger, and terminal let me go from idea to a running prototype and then to a deployable version without constantly switching tools. In terms of features, the extension ecosystem fills most of the gaps I run into, whether that’s working with specific frameworks, improving testing, or integrating with deployment workflows. Security and reliability are largely in my control: by being selective with extensions and keeping an eye on updates, I’ve been able to avoid major issues, though there are occasional bugs or performance hiccups that come with a highly customizable editor. Customer support is more community- and documentation-driven than traditional ticket-based help, but between official docs, GitHub issues, and third-party resources, I can usually find an answer. From a value-for-money perspective, VS Code is excellent. The fact that the core product is free yet powerful enough to support professional client work and rapid prototyping makes it an easy choice. For my use case, building and iterating on prototypes, then moving them toward client deployment, it has been a reliable, high-leverage tool I use every day.

Pros

What I like most about Visual Studio Code is how well it supports me as a solo founder and developer who’s constantly building client prototypes. I often jump between clients, stacks, and codebases, and VS Code makes that context switching surprisingly manageable. It starts up quickly, feels lightweight, and still provides the features I’d expect from a full IDE. Day to day, a few things stand out. TypeScript, JavaScript, and Python support is excellent, with intelligent code completion, inline errors, and quick fixes that help me catch issues early rather than chasing them down later. The built-in Git and GitHub integration lets me manage branches, commits, and pull requests directly from the editor, and the integrated terminal and debugger make it easy to run and troubleshoot my prototypes without leaving the environment. The extension ecosystem and workspace settings let me tailor VS Code to each client’s stack and deployment setup, whether I’m targeting simple web apps or more complex services. From a value-for-money perspective, it’s hard to beat: the core product is free, and I get a professional-grade code editing experience with a rich feature set. Security-wise, I appreciate that I can control which extensions I install, how they access workspaces, and how my projects connect to external services like GitHub. Overall, VS Code has become the backbone of my development workflow and a reliable tool for quickly getting client-facing prototypes into a deployable state.

Cons

What I like least about Visual Studio Code is that its flexibility can sometimes work against you. With so many extensions and configuration options, it’s easy to end up with a cluttered setup or conflicting plugins if you’re not disciplined about managing your environment. I’ve had situations where an extension degraded performance or introduced odd behavior, and tracking down the root cause took longer than I would have liked. On larger projects or in heavily customized workspaces, I’ve also noticed occasional slowdowns and minor bugs, such as the editor feeling less responsive or certain language features not behaving as expected until I restart. These aren’t showstoppers, but they do add overhead to keeping VS Code stable. Customer support is mostly handled through documentation, community resources, and GitHub issues rather than direct, high-touch support, so resolving edge cases can require some digging. Overall, these issues are manageable, but they’re the main trade-offs of such a flexible, extension-driven tool.

Review Source

DL

Dave L.  
Senior Consultant  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "It's definitely a slimmed down version with lots of kinks that are done differently to the full blown Visual Studio"

April 24, 2025

3.0

I had to install this to use and create SPFX solutions. SPFX was frustrating in itself, and then trying to figure out features and functionality of VS Code. I've been using VS for years that doing the switch to VS Code wasn't hard, but not straight forward either.

Pros

I like that it has a somewhat more simplified interface than the full blown Visual Studio

Cons

It is lacking in a lot of features. IN some cases, I felt like they (Microsoft) are trying to change the way people do things between Visual Studio and VS Code.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Software Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The absolute standard for modern software development (and it's free)"

January 7, 2026

5.0

We required an editor that could support multiple languages in one project (client side as well as server side). VS Code hit the right spot in terms of being lightening fast and feature-rich; it has now become an essential tool in our daily workflow right from documentation writing to debugging code in production environments

Pros

The ecosystem for extensions is second to none; whether it be some programming language or framework I'm working on (Python, JS, Go, Docker), a plugin for it exists. The integration with Git is excellent for working with merge conflicts right within the editor. Additionally, the capabilities of Remote Development (WSL/SSH) enable me to code on a remote Linux machine as if I were on localhost.

Cons

While it starts lightweight, it can become very resource-heavy (RAM) if you install too many extensions. The initial setup for some specific debuggers-like C++ or specialized PHP configs-requires fiddling with the launch.json files, which has a steeper learning curve compared to full-blown IDEs like Visual Studio or IntelliJ that work out of the box.

Switched from

[Sublime Text](https://www.capterra.com/p/179535/Sublime-Text/)

VS Code offers better IntelliSense and integrated debugging while remaining fast.

Review Source

Chuck K.  
Software Engineer  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Easy, flexible, and extensible"

August 30, 2025

5.0

Overall VS code is a great tool. I use it for multiple software development languages and it does a great job support each one.

Pros

VS Code is so easy to install and start using. And it has a multiple of plugins available to enhance the tool to make your software development experience better.

Cons

Its built-in integration with git is pretty basic; I find my self using a terminal window and the git command line more often.

Switched from

[IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/)

Lower cost with pretty much all the features I needed for my software development.

Review Source

MG

Mike G.  
Member of Technical Staff  
Computer Hardware  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The best IDE, full stop."

August 28, 2025

5.0

Great software that I work with every single day. I have used VSCode to replace JetBrains product suite and never looked back. Great extension integration, and easily integrates with everything imaginable. At Cerebras we have built tooling tightly integrated with VSCode and it is our default development tool.

Pros

Phenomenal product. Great integration with Github and all AI coding assistant, great flow when I want to add an extension and works flawlessly with any programming languages, eco system, or platforms.

Cons

Very hard to reach out to people from microsoft when there is bug; most VSCode internal plugins like Pylance are still close sourced. Difficult to track down bug when it is inside one of the binaries. VSCode SSH / container plugin needs more work, it still frequently disconnect for me for no obvious reason.

Switched from

[CLion](https://www.capterra.com/p/246695/CLion/)

More configurable, more extensible, works better for my current workflow.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Teaching Assistant  
Education Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Versitile and powerful IDE"

August 13, 2025

5.0

It is a very good IDE that is great for a bunch of different workflows and uses. It is highly configurable, and that makes it very good for coding.

Pros

It is very versatile for code editing; it supports a bunch of different languages and is very accessible.

Cons

It isn't as powerful as some heavier IDEs, since it doesn't always have the full feature suite that other programs have.

Switched from

[IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.capterra.com/p/136010/IntelliJ-IDEA/)

VS Code is a bit more beginner friendly and is a lot more versatile

Review Source

JB

John B.  
Consultant  
Entertainment  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "VSCode is wonderful"

July 7, 2025

5.0

My journey started with a Notepad++ path, then switched to a Sublime Text path, and now I follow a VSCode path. I am quite pleased with VSCode. It does nearly all I ask of it.

Pros

VSCode works across all of my applications. The ability to customize my working experience with useful extensions has earned my admiration. One such extension is VIM emulation, which allows me to keep my fingers on the keyboard longer. I also enjoy the coordination with GitHub and AWS very much.

Cons

Setting up some extensions is not easy. I like to try different languages and those with minimal support can be difficult to set up properly.

Switched from

[Sublime Text](https://www.capterra.com/p/179535/Sublime-Text/)

I enjoyed Sublime Text very much, but the VSCode bandwagon became too much to resist.

Review Source

SC

Stephen C.  
Systems Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "VS Code Review"

March 7, 2026

5.0

My overall experience has been very pleasant using Visual Studio. It has been a great editor I use to run and test any code, also good if I want to integrate it with other 3rd party application in my field

Pros

Some of the features that I like are the support for several programming languages, always up to date, and the integration capabilities with other third-party applications. I also really love the ability to switch the interface to dark mode.

Cons

Not a lot of cons but I have noticed that the user interface is not very smooth, and you can get lost easily inside it.

Review Source

MS

Matthre S.  
Director  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Visual Studio Code is a great free tool"

May 31, 2024

4.0

Pros

VS Code is free, that's got to be the best thing and being cross-platform it tends to be our go-to when we're setting up new projects

Cons

We've had occasional problems with plugins and updating, I'm still struggling with one Ubuntu instance that has a VS Code update pending but it breaks MySQL Workbench.

Alternatives considered

[PyCharm](https://www.capterra.com/p/186625/PyCharm/)

Reason for choosing Visual Studio Code

Cost was the main factor, VS Code is free so we can use it on many different instances and projects

Switched from

[Sublime Text](https://www.capterra.com/p/179535/Sublime-Text/)

We still use Sublime Text occasionally but VS Code is also cross-platform so we can use it in any project.

Review Source

UD

Umesh D.  
Software Developer  
Government Administration  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A Powerful, Lightweight, and Customizable Code Editor"

May 1, 2025

5.0

I have enjoyed using VS Code immensely. I now use it as my primary code editor for web development, Python scripting, and certain data science work. Regular updates and strong community support make the tool improve with time. The tool has the perfect blend of features and usability, making it suitable both for beginners and professional programmers.

Pros

Visual Studio Code is customizable, speedy, and flexible. The various extensions, Git integration and intelligent code completion (such as IntelliSense) simplify and expedite development. The interface is lightweight and clean, and it supports almost every programming language natively.

Cons

Some of the extensions can slow down performance or conflict with each other, and it takes some time to have everything in your setup fine tuned.

Review Source

JG

James G.  
IT Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Number One"

June 5, 2025

5.0

Overall extremely well. I will choose Visual Studio Code over any other IDE due to its flexibility and support.

Pros

No matter what language I need to write a script in, Visual Studio Code will support it and automatically will help me with syntax.

Cons

The debugger I believe is the weakest part of Visual Studio Code. Not to say that it is bad, it does it job well, but I have preferred other debuggers.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Owner of ShadowPlayersDev  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Visual Studio Code, the best and lightest code editor"

December 10, 2024

4.0

I've been using VS Code for over 4 years to edit code, mainly for personal and business projects.

Pros

Visual Studio Code is a versatile, and highly customizable code editor that supports a wide range of programming languages. Its extensive marketplace offers thousands of extensions, enabling developers to tailor the editor to specific workflows, such as linting, debugging, or version control integration.

Cons

Its performance can degrade with too many extensions or large projects. Additionally, beginners might find the vast customization options overwhelming, and some advanced features may require configuration or external tools to function optimally.

Review Source

PB

Prakash B.  
Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Visual Studio Code: My Go-To Editor"

January 5, 2025

5.0

My overall experience with Visual Studio Code has been positive. I started using it as a student and continue to rely on it in my professional journey. It has become my go-to editor.

Pros

I have been using Visual Studio Code for over four years. Although it's a lightweight code editor, it can be configured to deliver IDE-like features using its extensions system.

Cons

It can become sluggish when working with very large projects.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Software Developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A very good swiss coding knife"

February 1, 2025

5.0

Pros

Is like a lite version of Visual Studio, with all his strong points, but VS Code is better if we talk about multiplatform, since is a web IDE, you can use VSCode in any device with internet connection, also is more complete since you can just add plugins to support some specific programing Languages

Cons

While VS is for .NET and support execution/debug, VSC is more for others programming languages, making the learning curve bigger than VS

Review Source

AT

Adam T.  
Software Analysts  
Food & Beverages  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Efficient Coding Experience"

February 22, 2025

4.0

From a tool used occasionally, Visual Studio Code has now become a complete product in our toolkit. It's the most lightweight and can be adapted, which actually fits us quite well

Pros

One of the greatest thing about Visual Studio Code is the fact that it is really easy to use as well as to configure

Cons

It may slow down if there are too many extensions, but it's still fine

Review Source

JF

Jon F.  
Manager  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Visual Studio Code is a beast "

October 16, 2024

5.0

Visual studio has been a godsend to our teams. Highly recommend for everyone.

Pros

Visual studio code is the BEST development tool out there. The extensions are amazing. The customization options are great. Simple, intuitive user experience.

Cons

Not too many cons here. Has everything I would expect it to have.

Review Source

NRWW

Nanita Rica Winniewski W.  
Customer care management specialist  
Market Research  
Used the software for: I used a free trial

### "Coding platform "

March 6, 2025

4.0

Pros

Easy for coding because it allows installing many extensions.

Cons

No dislike so far by the time of using..

Review Source

Yash P.  
Project Engineer  
E-Learning  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The Ultimate Coding Companion"

July 25, 2024

5.0

Pros

User-friendly UI with themes that may be changed. Easy access to functions and commands. large array of add-ons to improve functionality. Version control is made easy with Git.

Cons

Extensive Extensions: Certain extensions may cause a decrease in performance. Extension Conflicts: Interactions between extensions can occasionally lead to instability.

Review Source

rB

ryan B.  
SEO Manager  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Visual studio code review"

August 24, 2024

4.0

i use this tool often for SEO tasks such as schema or Hreflang It allows me to review html in a cleaner format

Pros

Simple to use lots of languages to choose from Helpful visual cues Debugging

Cons

An improvement might be some visual learning cues similar to what regex101.com has so you have a basic go to when starting out

Review Source

AO

Abiola O.  
IT  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Simplicity - exceptional"

December 9, 2024

5.0

Awesome. i would recommend anytime. very satisfied

Pros

I was able to create a website easily. It was amazing

Cons

it can be quite hard to navigate as a starter

Review Source

GH

Gauri H.  
software devloper  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Visual studio code review"

July 27, 2024

5.0

It is the popular choice of devloper.Its is easy to use so student of colleges also use this software .

Pros

vs code is a good software.It is free to use also it is open source software.Many student can use vs code in colleges for practise of coding.It support multiple language.Debugging capabilities is powerful.It is extensibility through extentions.One of the best in vs code is no need to use multiple tools .

Cons

It consume significant memory.When using multiple extention or work on large project it performance is slow.

Review Source

GS

Gagan S.  
Associate Software Developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Easy to use product with support of multiple extensions and plugins"

June 30, 2024

5.0

My overall experience while using Visual Studio Code was quite amazing. The various customizations and supports multiple plugins and extension which makes it easier to use.

Pros

The best thing about Visual Studio Code is that it provides a lot of extensions and plugins which makes it easier to write code. Its user interface is also quite appealing which makes it engaging.

Cons

Visual Studio Code requires a system with decent or good specs, while using it in systems with low specs it does not works efficiently.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Programmer  
Program Development  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "An excellent source code editor"

June 8, 2024

5.0

Pros

The debugging tools are quite powerful, allowing you to establish breakpoints, conditional breakpoints, local and class variable views, rapid expression resolution, and function call stacks. It also supports multithreaded debugging.

Cons

Multiple component windows necessitate more editing zones to be maintained. Depending on which plugins are loaded, the boot process may take some time.

Review Source

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