5 Basic VS Code Extensions You Must Use

VS Code is one of the most popular IDEs that coders use these days. With VS Code, you can add various extensions to make your coding journey simpler and faster. There are tons of extensions available, but today, I'll discuss five basic VS Code extensions that can greatly enhance your coding experience.

1. Code Spell Checker

When coding, there are many things to keep in mind, and spelling is one of them. While spelling might not seem like a big deal in coding (since you'll get errors if you misspell reserved words), it's important when pushing code to production. Misspelled text can raise red flags, so the Code Spell Checker extension is a great choice to help you catch those errors before they become problems.

2. Auto Rename Tag

If you're a web developer, you'll often work with HTML tags. Sometimes, you might want to change tags for semantic reasons - for example, switching a <div> to a <footer>. Manually changing both the opening and closing tags can be a hassle, especially if you have to do it multiple times. Auto Rename Tag automatically updates the corresponding opening or closing tag when you rename one, saving you time and effort.

3. ES7 React/Redux/GraphQL/React-Native Snippets

For React developers, this extension is a must-have. It helps you write React code faster by providing snippets of commonly used code. For instance, typing rafce in a .jsx or .tsx file will generate a basic React component. This can significantly speed up your development process.

4. Prettier

While Prettier doesn't directly help with coding, it formats your code, making it more readable and visually appealing. Writing code can get messy, and Prettier helps you keep it tidy. I personally recommend configuring Prettier to format your code automatically when you save it, so everything stays neat without extra effort.

5. Material Icon Theme

Material Icon Theme doesn't directly assist with coding either, but it makes your project look more organized in VS Code by assigning icons to folders. It gives each folder an icon based on its name, helping you quickly identify folder contents and making your workspace visually appealing.