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Advanced Visual Studio Code Tips and Tricks | Features You Should Know !

Advanced Visual Studio Code Tips and Tricks | Features You Should Know !

Introduction

Want to become a power user of Visual Studio Code? Once you're comfortable with basic features, it's time to explore the more advanced tools and tricks that can boost your workflow. In this guide, we’ll walk you through powerful VS Code tips and tricks that help you work faster and smarter.

From multi-cursor editing to remote development and custom tasks, each feature is explained in a simple way that’s easy to understand and use right away.

1. Multi-Cursor Editing

Edit Multiple Lines at Once

  • Alt + Click - Add a new cursor at any line (Windows/Linux/macOS)
  • Ctrl + Alt + Down - Add a new cursor below
  • Ctrl + Alt + Up - Add a new cursor above

Multi-cursor editing helps you change many lines of code at the same time. This is great for editing repetitive code like HTML tags or variable names.

2. Use Built-in Tasks

Automate Repetitive Work

Tasks in VS Code allow you to run scripts or commands directly from the editor. You can use it to compile code, run linters, or even deploy projects.

  1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P)
  2. Type Tasks: Configure Task
  3. Select a template or create a custom task in tasks.json

3. Remote Development

Work on Any Server or Container

With the Remote - SSH and Remote - Containers extensions, you can connect to servers, Docker containers, or WSL environments directly in VS Code.

  • Install the Remote Development extension pack
  • Click the green icon in the bottom-left corner of VS Code
  • Choose to connect to a remote server, container, or WSL

4. Peek and Go To Definitions

Instead of opening new files, you can quickly peek into a function or variable’s definition:

  • Alt + F12 - Peek definition
  • F12 - Go to definition
  • Ctrl + Click - Jump to symbol

These features help you understand your code without breaking your flow.

5. Split Editors and Layouts

Working with multiple files? Split your screen easily:

  • Ctrl + \ - Split editor
  • Drag a file tab to split view manually
  • Ctrl + 1 / 2 / 3 - Focus different split areas

6. Use Emmet for Faster HTML & CSS

Type short expressions like ul.aul>li*5 and hit Tab to expand them into full HTML structures. Emmet is built into VS Code and supports many CSS and HTML abbreviations.

7. Use Code Snippets

Code snippets let you insert common pieces of code quickly. You can create your own or use default snippets:

  1. Open Command Palette
  2. Select Preferences: Configure User Snippets
  3. Choose a language or create a global snippet

8. Search Across Files

Quickly search and replace text in your entire project:

  • Ctrl + Shift + F - Open global search
  • Ctrl + Shift + H - Replace across files

9. Use Extensions for Extra Power

Some popular extensions every advanced user should try:

  • Prettier - For auto code formatting
  • ESLint - JavaScript linting
  • Live Server - Live preview HTML/CSS
  • Debugger for Chrome - Debug JS in browser

10. Customize Settings with JSON

You can tweak every detail of your editor using settings.json. Open it using the Command Palette and search for Preferences: Open Settings (JSON).

Conclusion

Visual Studio Code offers a range of advanced tools to make your development process smoother. From remote coding to task automation and deep customization, these features are easy to use and help you code more effectively. Start exploring them today and improve your coding workflow step-by-step.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best feature in VS Code for productivity?

The multi-cursor editing and Command Palette are two of the best features for speeding up your development tasks.

Can I run shell commands in VS Code?

Yes, you can open the integrated terminal with Ctrl + ` and run shell or command-line operations directly in the editor.

How do I save time editing repetitive code?

Use multi-cursor editing, snippets, and Emmet to make repeating tasks faster and easier.