7 Reasons To Choose Visual Studio Code for .NET Development

.NET is a fast and modular platform for creating many different types of applications that run on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Whether you want to build web apps, native apps, cloud apps, or games, you need a powerful and flexible development environment that can support your needs. That’s where Visual Studio Code comes in.

Visual Studio Code is a free, open source, cross-platform code editor that runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It offers a rich set of features for .NET development, such as code completion, debugging, testing, refactoring, source control, extensions, and more. In this article, we will explore seven reasons why you should choose Visual Studio Code for your .NET projects.

Reason 1: Cross-platform and lightweight

One of the main advantages of Visual Studio Code is that it runs on multiple operating systems. You can use it to develop .NET applications on Windows, Linux, or macOS without any compatibility issues. This gives you more flexibility and choice in your development environment.

Another benefit of Visual Studio Code is that it is lightweight and fast. Unlike some other IDEs that require a large installation size and consume a lot of resources, Visual Studio Code has a small footprint and a modular design. You can install only the components you need for your .NET development, such as the .NET SDK and the C# or F# extensions. You can also update or repair your installation easily with the .NET Coding Pack.

Reason 2: Powerful editing and debugging features

Visual Studio Code provides a powerful editing experience for .NET developers. It supports C#, F#, and VB languages with IntelliSense and analyzers. IntelliSense is a feature that provides smart code completion, parameter info, quick info, signature help, etc. Analyzers are tools that help you find and fix code issues, such as syntax errors, style violations, performance problems, etc.

Visual Studio Code also provides integrated debugging and testing tools for .NET applications. You can set breakpoints, watch variables, inspect call stacks, evaluate expressions, etc. You can also run unit tests, code coverage tests, performance tests, etc. with various testing frameworks.

Reason 3: Rich extension ecosystem

Visual Studio Code has a built-in marketplace for extensions that enhance its functionality. You can find thousands of extensions for various languages, frameworks, and tools that you can use for your .NET development. For example, you can use extensions for:

-> Blazor: A framework for building interactive web UIs with C#
Entity Framework Core: A lightweight and extensible ORM for .NET

-> ML.NET: A machine learning framework for .NET
PowerShell: A scripting language and shell for Windows

-> Unity: A game engine and development platform for .NET

-> Xamarin: A platform for building native mobile apps with .NET

You can also create your own extensions or contribute to existing ones on GitHub.

Reason 4: Seamless integration with Azure

Visual Studio Code enables you to easily deploy and manage your .NET applications on Azure, the cloud platform from Microsoft. You can use Visual Studio Code to:

-> Create Azure resources, such as web apps, functions, services, and VMs

-> Publish your .NET applications to Azure with a few clicks or commands

-> Debug your .NET applications remotely on Azure

-> Monitor and troubleshoot your .NET applications on Azure

Use Azure DevOps services, such as pipelines, boards, repos, etc.
You can also use the Azure extension pack to get a comprehensive set of tools for working with Azure.

Reason 5: Flexible web development options

Visual Studio Code supports various web development options for .NET developers. You can use Visual Studio Code to:

-> Build web apps and services with ASP.NET, an open source web framework for .NET

-> Build web UIs with C# using Blazor, a framework that lets you run C# code in the browser

-> Build web APIs and mobile sites with real-time technologies, such as SignalR, gRPC, WebSockets, etc.

-> Use web development tools, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, React, Vue, etc.

-> You can also use the .NET Extension Pack to get a collection of extensions for web development with .NET.

Reason 6: Modern Windows desktop development

Visual Studio Code supports modern Windows desktop development with .NET. You can use Visual Studio Code to:

-> Build Windows desktop applications with Windows Forms and WPF, two UI frameworks for .NET

-> Build data-centric and user-friendly applications with controls, data binding, animation, styles, templates, etc.

-> Use desktop development tools, such as XAML, MVVM, WinUI, etc.

-> Use the Windows Desktop Extension Pack to get a set of extensions for Windows desktop development with .NET

Reason 7: Open source and community-driven

Visual Studio Code is based on the open source .NET platform and Roslyn compiler platform. This means that you can access the source code of these projects and contribute to their development. You can also report issues, request features, or provide feedback on GitHub.

Visual Studio Code also has a vibrant community of developers and contributors who create and share extensions, themes, snippets, tutorials, etc. You can join the community and learn from others or share your own knowledge and experience.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored seven reasons why you should choose Visual Studio Code for your .NET development. Visual Studio Code is a cross-platform and lightweight code editor that offers powerful editing and debugging features, rich extension ecosystem, seamless integration with Azure, flexible web development options, modern Windows desktop development options, and open source and community-driven nature. If you are looking for a versatile and productive development environment for your .NET projects, you should give Visual Studio Code a try.

FAQs

Q: How do I install Visual Studio Code for .NET development?

A: You can install Visual Studio Code from its official website. To set up Visual Studio Code for .NET development quickly, you can install the .NET Coding Pack, which includes Visual Studio Code, the .NET SDK, and essential .NET extensions. Alternatively, you can install the components separately.

Q: How do I run a .NET application in Visual Studio Code?

A: To run a .NET application in Visual Studio Code, you need to create a project using the dotnet new command in the terminal. For example, to create a console application in C#, you can use dotnet new console. Then you can open the project folder in Visual Studio Code and select Yes when prompted to add required assets. To run the application, you can use dotnet run in the terminal or press F5 to start debugging.

Q: How do I find and install extensions for Visual Studio Code?

A: To find and install extensions for Visual Studio Code, you can use the Extensions view in the sidebar. You can search for extensions by name or category or browse the featured or recommended extensions. To install an extension, you can click on its name and then click on the Install button. You can also manage your installed extensions from the Extensions view.