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# Entry
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has countless extensions. While Copilot gets most of the attention, much of everyday productivity comes from simpler tools that don’t apply AI. Here are five extensions that developers rely on all the time.
# 1. Prettier
Nicer is a popular code formatter. Automatically formats code when saved. That’s it – no more team arguments about style. Your code looks tidy and consistent. Works with JavaScript, TypeScript, JSON, CSS, HTML, Markdown and more. It can also be configured via a file .prettierrc file or in VS Code settings.
# 2. Better comments
Better comments makes it easier to view comments by marking them with colors. Instead of the usual gray comments, you can mark them as TODO, FIXME, questions, warnings and more. This helps you quickly find significant notes, especially in vast files. It’s basic but works well in many languages.
# 3. Git Chart
Git Chart shows Git history as a visual graph in VS Code. You can see all your commits, branches, connections and tags. Click, see the differences and check the details. No terminal is needed. You can even merge and retrieve data from the chart itself – a much more competent workflow than typing commands all day long.
# 4. Thunder client
Thunder client is a lightweight application programming interface (API) client built into VS Code. Works like Postman, but you don’t have to leave the editor. You can create HTTP requests, set headers, parameters and authentication. You can organize them into collections and test answers. This is useful for creating and debugging APIs right where you write the code.
# 5. TODO tree
Tree TO DO searches for all TODO, FIXME and NOTE comments throughout the project. It scans everything and shows it in the tree. Click one and it will take you directly to the specific code location. No more browsing through files. Plain and effective, you’ll probably apply it constantly.
# Summary
You don’t need advanced AI tools to be productive. Sometimes basic extensions are enough. If you want to improve VS Code without Copilot, these five extensions are a great start.
Kanwal Mehreen is a machine learning engineer and technical writer with a deep passion for data science and the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine. She is co-author of the e-book “Maximizing Productivity with ChatGPT”. As a 2022 Google Generation Scholar for APAC, she promotes diversity and academic excellence. She is also recognized as a Teradata Diversity in Tech Scholar, a Mitacs Globalink Research Scholar, and a Harvard WeCode Scholar. Kanwal is a staunch advocate for change and founded FEMCodes to empower women in STEM fields.