Unlocking Developer Efficiency with VS Code

Visual Studio Code has cemented its reputation as one of the most powerful and versatile code editors for developers. While its core features are well-known, there exists a treasure trove of hidden functionality and extensions that can dramatically transform your development workflow.

In this article, we’ll explore 5 underrated yet incredibly useful features and extensions in VS Code that help you eliminate context switching, stay focused, and write better code faster. Whether you're working on web apps, APIs, databases, or large codebases—these tools can be game changers.

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1. VS Code Tunnels: Share Your Localhost with the World

Use case: Need to share a running project on your machine with someone else remotely?

VS Code now includes a built-in tunneling feature, essentially acting like a developer-friendly version of ngrok. It lets you expose your localhost app to the internet securely.

How it works:

1. Open your project in VS Code.

2. Navigate to the Ports tab in the bottom panel.

3. Enter the port your app is running on (e.g. 3000).

4. Right-click the entry and set it to "Public".

5. VS Code will generate a secure public URL you can share.

You’ll need to be signed in with your GitHub or Microsoft account.

Benefits:

• No need to install or configure anything else.

• Great for demos, quick feedback, or remote debugging.

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2. Postman Extension: API Development Without Leaving the Editor

Switching between Postman and VS Code constantly while building or testing APIs is a productivity killer. Fortunately, Postman now offers a full-featured VS Code extension.

What it supports:

• Send requests (HTTP, gRPC, WebSocket)

• Save and organize collections

• Auth support

• Response visualization

How to use:

1. Install the Postman extension from the Marketplace.

2. Click the Postman icon in the sidebar.

3. Log in or sign up.

4. Start sending requests right next to your code.

This is perfect for backend developers and API engineers looking to reduce friction while testing endpoints.

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3. Simple Browser: Your Dev Docs and Sites, Inline

The Simple Browser extension allows you to open a mini browser right inside VS Code. It’s a great way to preview your frontend work, documentation, or tools like Swagger without opening a separate browser.

Usage:

• Hit Ctrl+Shift+P

• Search for Simple Browser

• Enter a URL (local or public)

Now you can view pages, inspect API responses, and even test UI changes inline.

This tool is especially useful for:

• Previewing static HTML files

• Browsing docs while coding

• Testing frontend changes instantly

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4. CodeViz: Visualize Your Codebase Like a Map

Struggling to understand a legacy project or a large codebase? CodeViz turns your source code into interactive visual maps, showing how modules, functions, and files relate.

Features:

• Ask questions in natural language

• Auto-generate dependency graphs

• Explore call hierarchies

Try it:

1. Install CodeViz from Marketplace.

2. Open any project.

3. Launch CodeViz to see an instant visual of your app’s structure.

Whether you’re onboarding to a new repo or refactoring existing code, CodeViz helps you understand before you dive in.

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5. PostgreSQL Extension: Manage Your DB Without Leaving VS Code

Database developers, rejoice! Microsoft offers an official PostgreSQL extension for VS Code that turns your editor into a full-fledged database IDE.

What you get:

• Schema visualization

• IntelliSense for SQL

• AI-assisted query generation (via GitHub Copilot agents)

• Query history & execution

• Docker integration

• Secure auth and multiple profiles

Setup:

1. Install the PostgreSQL extension.

2. Connect to a local or cloud instance.

3. Use the built-in tools for everything from writing queries to managing schema migrations.

It’s perfect for developers building apps with Postgres who want a unified, context-aware development environment.

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Conclusion: Productivity Supercharged

These 5 features aren’t just handy—they’re transformative. From real-time collaboration via tunnels to seamless API testing, in-editor database management, and visual project maps, VS Code gives you a robust toolkit for modern development.

Start with one or two of these tools and gradually build them into your workflow. You’ll quickly notice fewer distractions, faster iterations, and deeper focus.

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Happy coding!