10 VS Code Extensions Every Developer Should Use (Even If You're a Beginner)

💻 Introduction: Your Editor Is Your Superpower

Let’s be honest — Visual Studio Code is already an amazing code editor.

But when you add the right extensions, it transforms into a productivity powerhouse. Whether you're building websites, writing APIs, designing UI, or debugging code — VS Code extensions can save you hours.

In this blog, we'll walk through 10 must-have extensions for developers at any level — especially if you're still learning or building personal projects.

1️⃣ 🔍 Prettier – Code Formatter

📦 Extension ID: esbenp.prettier-vscode

🧼 “Messy code? Not on my watch.”

• Automatically formats your code (HTML, JS, PHP, etc.)
• Keeps indentation and spacing consistent
• Reduces errors caused by poor formatting

Why it’s a must-have: Your code becomes clean and readable with one click or on save.

2️⃣ 🎨 Live Server

📦 Extension ID: ritwickdey.LiveServer

🔥 “Save file. Auto refresh. Boom!”

• Launch your HTML page in a browser
• Auto-refresh on every save
• Great for frontend development

Why it rocks: Speeds up development for static and simple web pages.

3️⃣ 💡 GitLens

📦 Extension ID: eamodio.gitlens

🔎 “Who wrote this line and why?”

• Shows git blame info in-line
• View commit history for each file
• Makes debugging easier with context

Bonus: Great for teams and learning from your own code over time.

4️⃣ 🌈 Better Comments

📦 Extension ID: aaron-bond.better-comments

✏️ “Make your comments actually helpful.”

• Highlight TODOs, warnings, queries
• Color-coded annotations
• Boosts readability of your code

// TODO: Refactor this loop
// ! Important condition here
// ? Should this be async?
// * Major logic block starts below

5️⃣ 📦 ESLint

📦 Extension ID: dbaeumer.vscode-eslint

🧠 “Catch bugs before they happen.”

• Lint JavaScript and TypeScript code
• Integrates with Prettier
• Warns about potential issues in real-time

Perfect for: React, Vue, Node, or any JS-based stack.

6️⃣ 🧩 Path Intellisense

📦 Extension ID: christian-kohler.path-intellisense

🔗 “No more broken import paths.”

• Autocomplete for filenames in your project
• Works for images, CSS, components, etc.

Saves time and avoids headaches when importing files.

7️⃣ 🌍 REST Client

📦 Extension ID: humao.rest-client

📫 “Test APIs right from VS Code.”

• Send HTTP requests inside VS Code
• Test your APIs without Postman
• Save and organize requests

GET https://api.example.com/users
Authorization: Bearer token123

8️⃣ 🧱 Bracket Pair Colorizer 2

📦 Extension ID: CoenraadS.bracket-pair-colorizer-2

🧩 “Never lose track of nested code again.”

• Color-codes matching brackets
• Great for complex functions and deeply nested loops

Why it’s helpful: Reduces logical errors in JS, PHP, Python, etc.

9️⃣ 🚦 Todo Tree

📦 Extension ID: Gruntfuggly.todo-tree

📋 “Track your tasks inside code.”

• Finds all TODO/FIXME in your project
• Shows them in a sidebar
• Click to jump directly to each one

Perfect for managing unfinished parts of your project.

🔟 ⚡ CodeSnap

📦 Extension ID: adpyke.codesnap

📸 “Turn code into beautiful images.”

• Select code and export as PNG
• Great for sharing on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter
• Customize theme, padding, font

Use it to show off your snippets or document your journey!

🔥 Bonus: Theme Suggestions to Elevate Your Coding Vibe

• Dracula Official 🧛‍♂️ – Sleek dark theme
• One Dark Pro ☕ – Clean and professional
• Ayu Mirage 🌅 – Calming for long hours

🧠 Summary: Your Productivity Starter Pack

🚀 Final Words: Set It, Forget It, Code Faster

The right tools don’t just make you faster — they make you more confident and less frustrated.

These extensions are trusted by millions of developers, and with just a few minutes of setup, they can help you:

• Learn faster
• Build better
• Debug smarter

🧰 Add these to your VS Code now — your future self will thank you!