Introduction & Prerequisites

What is VS Code?

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free, open-source code editor created by Microsoft. It's the most popular code editor in the world, used by over 70% of professional developers.

Think of VS Code as your "digital workshop" — it's where you write, edit, and organize your code. It's like Microsoft Word, but for programming.

🎯 What You'll Learn

By the end of this guide, you will:

• ✅ Understand what VS Code is and why it's essential
• ✅ Have VS Code installed and running on your computer
• ✅ Know which extensions to install (and why)
• ✅ Create and save your first file
• ✅ Troubleshoot common problems

⏱️ Time to complete: ~20 minutes

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🤔 Why Use VS Code?

Three Specific Use Cases

1. Learning to Code If you're just starting out, VS Code is perfect because:

• It highlights syntax errors (like spell-check for code)
• It auto-completes as you type
• It's completely free
• There are thousands of tutorials for it

2. Web Development If you're building websites:

• Live preview of HTML/CSS changes
• Built-in Git integration
• Extensions for React, Vue, Angular
• Integrated terminal for running commands

3. Professional Development For work projects:

• Debug code directly in the editor
• Work on remote files (SSH, containers)
• Collaborate with Live Share
• Customize everything to your workflow

VS Code vs Other Editors

Verdict: VS Code is the best choice for 95% of developers.

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✅ Prerequisites Checklist

Before installing, make sure your computer meets these requirements:

Operating System Requirements

Hardware Requirements

Access Requirements

• Administrator access (needed to install software)
• Internet connection (to download VS Code and extensions)
• A web browser (to download the installer)

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🔍 How to Check Your Computer

Windows

1. Press Windows Key + R
2. Type winver and press Enter
3. A window will show your Windows version

Check RAM:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Click "Performance" tab → "Memory"
3. Look at "Installed RAM"

macOS

1. Click the Apple icon () in the top-left
2. Select "About This Mac"
3. You'll see your macOS version and memory

Linux (Ubuntu)

Open Terminal and run:

# Check Ubuntu version
lsb_release -a

# Check RAM
free -h

# Check disk space
df -h /

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⚠️ Common Prerequisites Issues

"I don't have administrator access"

Solution:

• Work computer: Contact your IT department and ask for installation privileges
• Personal computer: You should already have admin access
• Windows: Right-click the installer → "Run as administrator"

"My computer is too old"

VS Code runs on most computers from the last 10 years. If you're unsure:

• Try installing anyway — it won't harm your computer
• VS Code will warn you if it can't run

"I'm on a restricted network (work/school)"

Solution:

• Try the "User Installer" for Windows (doesn't require admin)
• Ask IT to whitelist code.visualstudio.com
• Use the portable version (no installation needed)

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→ Ready? Proceed to Lesson 2: Installation