Visual Studio Code Distilled: Evolved Code Editing for Windows, macOS, and Linux, 3rd Edition

Use Visual Studio Code to write and debug code quickly and efficiently on any platform, for any device, using any programming language, and on the operating system of your choice. Visual Studio Code is an open source and cross-platform development tool that focuses on code editing across a variety of development scenarios, including web, mobile, and cloud development. This third edition has been updated to match the latest releases of the environment. Additional updates relate to .NET 7 and explain how to consume AI services from code you write in Visual Studio Code. This new edition is also refreshed with the latest updates, such as enhanced merge editor, creating extensions, support for the Julia language, and much more. The book teaches you how to be immediately productive with Visual Studio Code, from the basics to some of the more complex topics. You will learn how to work on individual code files, complete projects, and come away with an understanding of advanced code-editing features that will help you focus on productivity, and source code collaboration with Git. What You Will Learn• Get started with practical guidance on Visual Studio Code, including expansive guidance on writing apps with C# and Python• Understand how to edit individual files and how to work with folders by working on the latest workspace trust and multi-root workspaces• Debug code on multiple platforms through real-world guidance, such as working under corporate networks• Package code into Docker containers and deploy these to Azure• Acquire valuable tips, tricks, and suggestions from hard-earned, real-world experience to be more productive Who This Book Is ForAll developers (including JavaScript, Java, NodeJS), not just those with a Microsoft background, who will benefit from learning and using VS code as a cross-platform and cross-language tool Table of Contents 5 About the Author 12 Acknowledgments 13 Introduction 14 Chapter 1: Introducing Visual Studio Code 15 Visual Studio Code, a Cross-Platform Development Tool 15 When and Why Visual Studio Code 16 Installing and Configuring Visual Studio Code 18 Installing Visual Studio Code on Windows 20 Installing Visual Studio Code on macOS 22 Installing Visual Studio Code on Linux 23 Localization Support 25 Updating Visual Studio Code 26 Previewing Features with Insiders Builds 28 Visual Studio Code on Web 30 Summary 31 Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Environment 32 The Welcome Page 32 The Code Editor 34 Reordering, Resizing, and Zooming Editor Windows 35 The Status Bar 35 The Activity Bar 36 The Side Bar 37 The Explorer Bar 37 The Outline View 39 The Timeline View 42 The Search Tool 43 Searching in the Active File 44 The Git Bar 44 The Run and Debug Bar 45 The Extensions Bar 46 The Accounts Button 47 The Settings Button 49 Navigating Between Files 49 The Command Palette 50 The Panels Area 51 The Problems Panel 51 The Output Panel 53 The Debug Console Panel 53 Working with the Terminal 54 Summary 56 Chapter 3: Language Support and Code Editing Features 57 Language Support 57 Working with C# and C++ 58 Working with Python 59 Working with Julia 60 Working with Go 60 Basic Code Editing Features 60 Working with Text 61 Syntax Colorization 62 Delimiter Matching and Text Selection 63 Code Block Folding 64 Multicursors 64 Reusable Code Snippets 65 Word Completion 66 Minimap Mode 67 Sticky Scroll 68 Whitespace Rendering and Breadcrumbs 69 Markdown Preview 70 Evolved Code Editing 71 Working with IntelliSense 72 Parameter Hints 74 Inline Documentation with Tooltips 75 Go to Definition and Peek Definition 76 Go to Implementation and Peek Implementations 78 Finding References 79 Renaming Symbols and Identifiers 82 Live Code Analysis 84 Hints About IntelliCode 92 Summary 92 Chapter 4: Working with Files and Folders 93 Visual Studio Code and Project Systems 93 Working with Individual Files 94 Creating Files 96 Language Autodetection 97 File Encoding, Line Terminators, and Line Browsing 98 Working with Folders and Projects 99 Opening a Folder 100 Opening .NET Solutions 102 Opening JavaScript and TypeScript Projects 103 Opening Loose Folders 104 Working with Workspaces 104 Creating Workspaces 107 Opening Existing Workspaces 107 Workspace Structure 108 Security: Workspace Trust 109 Configuring Workspace Trust 112 Summary 113 Chapter 5: Customizing Visual Studio Code 114 Customizations and Extensions Explained 114 Customizing Visual Studio Code 116 Theme Selection 116 Customizing the Environment 118 Understanding User Settings 119 Behind the Scenes: The settings.json File 121 A Real-World Example: Working with Proxies 122 Privacy Settings: Telemetry 125 Synchronization Settings 127 Understanding Workspace Settings 128 Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts 129 Creating Reusable Profiles 134 Summary 136 Chapter 6: Installing and Managing Extensions 137 Installing Extensions 137 Extension Recommendations 141 Useful Extensions 143 Managing Extensions 144 Configuring Extensions 146 Writing Your First Extension 148 Setting Up the Environment 149 Fixing PowerShell Script Problems 150 Creating an Extension 150 Developing the Extension 152 Running the Extension 155 Packaging Extensions 157 Extension Development Summary 158 Summary 159 Chapter 7: Source Control with Git 160 Source Control in Visual Studio Code 160 Downloading Other Source Control Providers 161 Managing Repositories 162 Initializing a Local Git Repository 163 Creating a Remote Repository 164 Handling File Changes 168 Staging Changes 169 Managing Commits 170 Working with the Git Command-Line Interface 172 Creating and Managing Branches 173 Switching to a Different Branch 175 Merging from a Branch 175 Resolving Merge Conflicts 176 Hints About Rebasing Branches 179 Deleting Branches 179 Adding Power to the Git Tooling with Extensions 179 Git History 180 GitLens 181 GitHub Pull Requests and Issues 183 Working with Azure DevOps 187 Creating a Team Project 187 Connecting Visual Studio Code to a Remote Repository 190 Summary 191 Chapter 8: Automating Tasks 193 Understanding Tasks 193 Tasks Types 194 Running and Managing Tasks 195 The Default Build Task 200 Auto-Detected Tasks 200 Configuring Tasks 202 Task Example: Compiling Pascal Source Code 202 Multiple Tasks and Default Build Tasks 209 Understanding tasks.json Properties 211 Understanding Substitution Variables 215 Operating System–Specific Properties 216 Reusing Existing Task Templates 217 Understanding Problem Matchers 220 Running Files with a Default Program 221 Summary 221 Chapter 9: Building and Debugging Applications 223 Creating Applications 223 The Status of Microsoft .NET 224 Setting Up .NET for VS Code Development 225 Creating .NET Projects 225 Creating Projects on Other Platforms 231 Debugging Your Code 233 Configuring the Debugger 235 Managing Breakpoints 238 Debugging an Application 239 Evaluating Expressions 242 The Call Stack 243 The Debug Console Panel 244 Configuring Debug Options 245 Summary 246 Chapter 10: Building Applications with Python 247 Chapter Prerequisites 247 Creating Python Applications 249 Running Python Code 251 Code Editing Features for Python 258 Enhanced Word Completion with IntelliSense 258 Understanding Function Parameters with Parameter Hints 259 Quickly Retrieving Type Definitions 259 Finding References 260 Renaming Symbols 261 Finding Code Issues with Linters 262 Advanced Code Editing with Pylance 265 Managing Pylance Settings 268 Running Python Scripts 269 Summary 270 Chapter 11: Deploying Applications to Azure 271 Introducing Azure Extensions 271 Deploying Web Applications 273 Installing Extensions 273 Signing In to Azure Subscriptions 274 Publishing Web Applications 276 Creating and Deploying Azure Functions 279 Configuring Visual Studio Code 279 Creating Azure Functions 281 Deploying Azure Functions 288 Deploying Docker Images 291 Docker Prerequisites 292 Creating the Application Image 293 Uploading the Application Image to a Container Registry 295 Deploying the Docker Image to Azure 298 Summary 300 Chapter 12: Consuming AI Services 302 Introducing Azure for AI 303 General Considerations 304 Introducing Computer Vision 304 Setting Up Computer Vision Services 304 Retrieving the Service Keys 309 Consuming AI Services with .NET 311 Setting Up Variables and Constants 313 Creating Authenticated Service Clients 315 Executing Image Analysis 316 Running the Application 320 Using the Debugging Tools 321 Consuming AI Services with JavaScript 322 Setting Up Variables and Constants 324 Creating Authenticated Service Clients 325 Executing Image Analysis 326 Coding and Debugging Tools in Action 328 Running the Application 329 Consuming AI Services with Python 330 Setting Up Variables and Constants 331 Creating Authenticated Service Clients 332 Executing Image Analysis 333 Coding and Debugging Tools in Action 335 Running the Application 336 Summary 337 Index 338 Capture2.PNG 1 Use Visual Studio Code to write and debug code quickly and efficiently on any platform, for any device, using any programming language, and on the operating system of your choice. Visual Studio Code is an open source and cross-platform development tool that focuses on code editing across a variety of development scenarios, including web, mobile, and cloud development. This third edition has been updated to match the latest releases of the environment. Additional updates relate to .NET 7 and explain how to consume AI services from code you write in Visual Studio Code. This new edition is also refreshed with the latest updates, such as enhanced merge editor, creating extensions, support for the Julia language, and much more. The book teaches you how to be immediately productive with Visual Studio Code, from the basics to some of the more complex topics. You will learn how to work on individual code files, complete projects, and come away with an understanding of advanced code-editing features that will help you focus on productivity, and source code collaboration with Git. What You Will Learn Get started with practical guidance on Visual Studio Code, including expansive guidance on writing apps with C# and Python Understand how to edit individual files and how to work with folders by working on the latest workspace trust and multi-root workspaces Debug code on multiple platforms through real-world guidance, such as working under corporate networks Package code into Docker containers and deploy these to Azure Acquire valuable tips, tricks, and suggestions from hard-earned, real-world experience to be more productive Who This Book Is For All developers (including JavaScript, Java, NodeJS), not just those with a Microsoft background, who will benefit from learning and using VS code as a cross-platform and cross-language tool Use Visual Studio Code to write and debug code quickly and efficiently on any platform, for any device, using any programming language, and on the operating system of your choice. Visual Studio Code is an open source and cross-platform development tool that focuses on code editing across a variety of development scenarios, including web, mobile, and cloud development. This third edition has been updated to match the latest releases of the environment. Additional updates relate to .NET 7 and explain how to consume AI services from code you write in Visual Studio Code. This new edition is also refreshed with the latest updates, such as enhanced merge editor, creating extensions, support for the Julia language, and much more. The book teaches you how to be immediately productive with Visual Studio Code, from the basics to some of the more complex topics. You will learn how to work on individual code files, complete projects, and come away with an understanding of advanced code-editing features that will help you focus on productivity, and source code collaboration with Git. What You Will Learn Get started with practical guidance on Visual Studio Code, including expansive guidance on writing apps with C# and Python Understand how to edit individual files and how to work with folders by working on the latest workspace trust and multi-root workspaces Debug code on multiple platforms through real-world guidance, such as working under corporate networks Package code into Docker containers and deploy these to Azure Acquire valuable tips, tricks, and suggestions from hard-earned, real-world experience to be more productive Who This Book Is For All developers (including jаvascript, Java, NodeJS), not just those with a Microsoft background, who will benefit from learning and using VS code as a cross-platform and cross-language tool