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Recommended Code Editor ​

We recommend using VS Code as your primary IDE for the following reasons:

  • Lightweight & Fast: Quick startup with minimal resource usage.
  • Rich Extension Ecosystem: Enhance functionality through useful plugins.
  • Built-in Git Integration: Easy version control management.
  • Cross-Platform: Works seamlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Here are a number of Visual Studio Code Extensions we believe will make your development experience a bliss.

  1. GitLens

    • Enhanced Git tools to explore code history.
    • Provides insights on authorship and code changes.

  2. SonarLint

    • Detects and helps fix code quality and security issues in real-time.
    • Integrates with SonarQube for deeper code analysis.

  3. GitHub Copilot

    • AI-powered code completion and suggestions.
    • Helps boost productivity by auto-suggesting code based on your context.

  4. C# Extension for VS Code

    • Provides syntax highlighting, IntelliSense, and code completion.
    • Enables debugging with breakpoints and watchpoints.
    • Supports task runners and test integration for .NET projects.

  5. C# Dev Kit Extension

    • Adds project and solution management for seamless navigation.
    • Enhances IntelliCode with AI-driven, C#-specific suggestions.
    • Improves debugging with live testing and advanced telemetry.
    • Integrates testing support for NUnit, xUnit, and MSTest frameworks.

  6. IntelliCode for C# Dev Kit

    • Provides AI-powered IntelliSense tailored to your C# coding patterns.
    • Enhances C# Dev Kit with contextual suggestions based on coding habits.
    • Streamlines coding with relevant code completion and recommendations.

  7. Live Share

    • Enables real-time collaborative coding and debugging.
    • Allows multiple users to edit and run code simultaneously.
    • Facilitates sharing local servers, terminals, and debugging sessions.

  8. GitHub Copilot Chat

    • Offers conversational code assistance directly within VS Code.
    • Provides code explanations, bug fixes, and guidance on best practices.
    • Integrates with GitHub Copilot for AI-powered code generation.

  9. Docker

    • Simplifies container development and management within VS Code.
    • Enables building, running, and debugging Docker containers.
    • Supports integration with Docker Compose and Kubernetes.

  10. PostgreSQL

    • Allows managing PostgreSQL databases directly from VS Code.
    • Supports running SQL queries, browsing schemas, and viewing results.
    • Provides connection management and insights into database performance.

  11. REST Client

    • Enables sending HTTP requests and viewing responses within VS Code.
    • Supports HTTP methods, query parameters, and authentication.
    • Simplifies API testing without switching to external tools.

  12. Tools for Apache Kafka

    • Allows managing Kafka clusters, topics, and messages.
    • Provides easy creation, inspection, and monitoring of Kafka resources.
    • Enables interaction with Kafka topics, consumer groups, and schemas.

  13. NuGet Gallery

    • Provides access to the NuGet package library directly in VS Code.
    • Enables easy searching, browsing, and installing of NuGet packages.
    • Offers detailed information on packages, including versions and dependencies.
    • Simplifies .NET development by managing dependencies without leaving the editor.

Command to Install All Extensions ​

To install all the recommended extensions, you can use the following command in your terminal:

sh
code --install-extension eamodio.gitlens \
      --install-extension SonarSource.sonarlint-vscode \
      --install-extension GitHub.copilot \
      --install-extension ms-dotnettools.csharp \
      --install-extension ms-dotnettools.csdevkit \
      --install-extension VisualStudioExptTeam.vscodeintellicode \
      --install-extension MS-vsliveshare.vsliveshare \
      --install-extension GitHub.copilot-chat \
      --install-extension ms-azuretools.vscode-docker \
      --install-extension ms-ossdata.vscode-postgresql \
      --install-extension humao.rest-client \
      --install-extension jeppeandersen.vscode-kafka \
      --install-extension patcx.vscode-nuget-gallery

Other Available IDEs ​

  1. Visual Studio
  2. JetBrains Rider

NB. Visual Studio has been discontinued for MacOS so Rider will be a much better choice for backend development if you are a MacOS user.