VS Code Extensions I Actually Use
Curated. Not everything — just what's in my setup and why.
Quick reference
| Extension | Category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| GitLens | Git | Inline blame, history, file revisions |
| Prettier | Formatting | Format on save |
| ESLint | Linting | Inline lint errors |
| Pretty TypeScript Errors | TypeScript | Readable TS error messages |
| Git Graph | Git | Visual branch/commit graph |
| Tailwind CSS IntelliSense | Tailwind | Class autocomplete + hover preview |
| Prisma | Database | Schema formatting + autocomplete |
| Go | Go | Autocomplete, format, test runner |
| Docker | DevOps | Container management + Compose support |
| Dependi | Dependencies | Shows outdated versions in package.json |
| Code Spell Checker | Productivity | Catch typos in code + comments |
| Import Cost | Productivity | Bundle size inline per import |
| Material Icon Theme | UI | Better file type icons |
| Draw.io Integration | Diagramming | Edit architecture diagrams in VS Code |
Essential (always installed)
GitLens
Inline git blame on every line. I use this constantly to understand why code exists, not just what it does. The commit history exploration and file revision comparison are the main things I reach for.
Prettier
Format on save. Non-negotiable for any JS/TS project. Takes one decision (formatting) permanently off my plate.
ESLint
Lint errors inline. Catches real bugs, not just style issues when configured correctly.
Pretty TypeScript Errors
TypeScript error messages are notoriously unreadable. This extension reformats them into something human. Huge quality-of-life improvement.
Git Graph
Visual git history. Useful when I need to see how branches diverged or find a merge point.
Language / framework specific
Tailwind CSS IntelliSense
Autocomplete, hover previews, and lint for Tailwind classes. Essential if you use Tailwind daily.
Prisma
Schema formatting, syntax highlighting, and autocomplete for .prisma files.
Go
The official Go extension. Autocomplete, formatting, test running. Required for Go development.
Docker
Container management without leaving the editor. I mostly use it for the Compose file integration and container log viewing.
Dependi
Shows outdated package versions inline in package.json. Useful during dependency audits.
Productivity
Code Spell Checker
Catches spelling errors in comments, variable names, and strings. Embarrassing to ship typos in user-facing strings.
Import Cost
Shows the bundle size of imports inline. Makes you think twice before adding a 200KB dependency.
Material Icon Theme
Better file icons. Makes navigating large projects faster because your eye recognizes file types instantly.
Polacode
Beautiful code screenshots. Useful when sharing code in presentations or design docs.
Viewers
Draw.io Integration
Edit architecture diagrams directly in VS Code, stored as .drawio files in the repo. Better than exporting PNGs.
Excel Viewer
View .xlsx files without opening Excel. Useful for data files in repos.
PDF Viewer
Quick PDF viewing. For specs and design docs shared as PDFs.
Snippets (useful but not critical)
- ES7+ React/Redux snippets —
rafcefor React arrow function component - Simple React Snippets — overlaps with above, pick one
- JavaScript (ES6) snippets — less useful now that Copilot exists
What I don't install anymore
- Themes (one is enough, I use default dark)
- Multiple snippet packs that overlap
- Extensions I "might use someday" — they slow VS Code startup