How To Install/Uninstall Extensions in Visual Studio Code: Enhance Your Workspace Productivity

Visual Studio Code Logo (Credit: code.visualstudio)

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is one of the most well known code editors among developers due to its flexibility, ease of use, and broad customisation alternatives and one of the key highlights that make Visual Studio Code so effective is its support for Extensions which add new features, support for additional programming languages, debuggers, themes, and more. In today's blog post article, is a step by step guide on how to install and uninstall Extensions in Visual Studio Code as follows;

STEP 1 - Open Visual Studio Code from your computer applications as seen from the screenshot below;

STEP 2 - While in the “Welcome” window, check on the left side for a square-like icon that is divided into four sides (three sides attached together and the top right side detached) but first move/hover the mouse pointer icon on it whereby it should highlight that it is the extensions icon by popping up the word “Extensions” and three symbols in a bracket then click on it and it should open a window/panel whereby one can search for any Extensions, check for; Installed Extensions, Popular Extensions and Recommended Extensions as seen from the below screenshot;

Visual Studio Code Welcome Window (Credit: MK)

STEP 3 - In order to install an Extension(s) one can search for it in the “Search Extensions in Marketplace” search bar or in the “Popular” and “Recommended” section(s) the click on the specific Extension which opens up a window on the right side of the Visual Studio Code window displaying its function(s) into detail then click on the blue “Install” button as seen from the screenshot below;

Visual Studio Code Python Extension Installing (Credit: MK)

Visual Studio Code Welcome Window (Credit: MK)

Visual Studio Code Python Extension (Credit: MK)

Visual Studio Code Python Extension Installed (Credit: MK)

In summary, by following the steps above, one can customize Visual Studio Code to better suit their development needs whether it is adding new functionalities or cleaning up the workspace, managing extensions in Visual Studio Code is a straightforward process that can greatly enhance productivity.

STEP 4 - On clicking the “Install” button, it changes to “Installing” meaning that the installation process has began as seen from the screenshot below;

STEP 5 - In case you want to uninstall/remove an Extension, the process is as simple as clicking on the Extension and when it opens, check for the “Uninstall” button then click on it (you can instead opt to just disable it by clicking on the “Disable” button) and that is it, the Extension will successfully be uninstalled/removed as seen from the screenshot below;