VS Code combines the speed of a text editor with the capability of an IDE: intelligent completion, integrated debugging, built-in Git support and an enormous extension marketplace covering essentially every language and framework.
Why choose Visual Studio Code?
VS Code combines the speed of a text editor with the capability of an IDE: intelligent completion, integrated debugging, built-in Git support and an enormous extension marketplace covering essentially every language and framework.
Visual Studio Code is free to download and use, though the source code is not published. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and it comes from Microsoft rather than from a repackager — this page sends you to code.visualstudio.com, the publisher's own site, so what you install is the authentic signed build.
Worth comparing before you commit: Visual Studio Code vs Git, Visual Studio Code vs Python, Visual Studio Code vs Node.js.
Visual Studio Code features
- IntelliSense code completion
- Integrated debugger and terminal
- Built-in Git version control
- Vast extension marketplace
How to download and install Visual Studio Code on Windows
- Use the official source. The download button on this page opens code.visualstudio.com, the publisher's own site — that is the safe route. If you would rather we double-check the current link first, ask and we email it. Either way, never take a visual studio code download from a mirror or a "download manager" portal, which is where bundled adware comes from.
- Pick the build for your system. Visual Studio Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. On Windows take the 64-bit package unless you are on an old 32-bit installation.
- Run the installer and accept the defaults. Microsoft ships no bundled extra software with it, so there is nothing to untick.
- Open it once before you need it. Confirming it launches and sees your files or hardware takes a minute now and saves a problem later.
- Keep it updated. Update from inside the program or from code.visualstudio.com — update prompts arriving by email or pop-up are not from the publisher.
Downloading Visual Studio Code in India
Visual Studio Code is the same software worldwide — there is no separate India build, no regional licence and nothing extra to pay. A visual studio code download in India gets the identical package everyone else receives, straight from code.visualstudio.com.
We link only to that official source, so a visual studio code setup download India from this page cannot arrive wrapped in a third-party installer. That matters more than download speed: the adware people blame on "free software" almost always comes from a mirror site, never from the publisher.
Is Visual Studio Code really free?
Free. Free to download and use. Source code is not public. You can download and use it without paying, and without creating an account with us.
How to download Visual Studio Code safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for code.visualstudio.com — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic, digitally signed build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Visual Studio Code. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Visual Studio Code
Other free developer tools software worth comparing before you decide:
Git
The version control system the software industry runs on.
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Python
The most approachable major programming language.
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Node.js
Run JavaScript outside the browser.
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Notepad++
Fast, lightweight text and code editor for Windows.
View detailsSee all Visual Studio Code alternatives compared →
Compare Visual Studio Code head-to-head
- Visual Studio Code vs Git
- Visual Studio Code vs Python
- Visual Studio Code vs Node.js
- Visual Studio Code vs Notepad++
Frequently asked questions
Is the Visual Studio Code download free?
Yes, Visual Studio Code is free to download and use. The source code is not published, but there is no charge and no trial expiry.
Is Visual Studio Code safe to download?
It is, provided it comes from code.visualstudio.com — Microsoft's own site, which is where the link we send you points. We host no installer of our own and never repackage software. Nearly every "free software gave me a virus" story traces back to a third-party download portal rather than the publisher.
Which platforms does Visual Studio Code run on?
Visual Studio Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Take the build that matches your operating system; on Windows that means the 64-bit package unless you are running an old 32-bit installation.
Do I need an account to download Visual Studio Code?
Not with us — FreeSoftwareX has no accounts, no paywall and no download gate. Ask for the link and we email it to you. Microsoft may ask you to register on their own site, which is their choice rather than ours.
What are the best free alternatives to Visual Studio Code?
The closest free developer tools options are Git, Python, Node.js. Each is listed here with its own licence, platforms and features so you can compare them properly rather than guessing.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Visual Studio Code is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from code.visualstudio.com.