This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Manalimran
Small Tweaks, Extensions, and Shortcuts That Made Me 10x More Productive
1. Mastering the Command Palette
The Command Palette in VS Code (Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows/Linux or Cmd + Shift + P on Mac) is like a hidden superpower. Early in my journey, I wasted time clicking through menus, but once I learned to type commands directly, my workflow became lightning fast. Whether I want to change themes, install extensions, or run tasks, everything is just a quick keystroke away.
2. Multi-Cursor Editing
One of my favorite tricks is multi-cursor editing. Imagine renaming variables in multiple lines instead of doing it one by one, I just use Alt + Click to place multiple cursors. Another lifesaver is Ctrl + D (or Cmd + D on Mac), which selects the next occurrence of the word. With this, I can refactor ten lines in the time it used to take me for one.
// Before
let data1 = getData();
let data2 = getData();
let data3 = getData();
// After (with multi-cursor)
let userData1 = getUserData();
let userData2 = getUserData();
let userData3 = getUserData();
3. Integrated Terminal
I used to juggle between my editor and terminal windows until I discovered the integrated terminal (Ctrl + backtick). Now I can run Node.js, Python scripts, Git commands, or Docker builds without leaving VS Code. Customizing it with Zsh or PowerShell themes also makes it feel like a complete dev environment.
4. Git Integration Done Right
The built-in Git integration is something I wish I had mastered earlier. Instead of running git status or git commit from the CLI, I stage, commit, and push directly from VS Code. The diff viewer highlights exactly what changed, and branch switching is smooth. Pro tip: install GitLens extension — it shows who wrote each line of code and when, which helps me in debugging legacy projects.
5. Snippets for Reusable Code
Typing the same boilerplate code over and over frustrated me until I discovered user snippets. With snippets, I can create templates for things like React components, Python functions, or SQL queries. For example, I defined a snippet that creates a useState hook with just usf.
"React useState Hook": {
"prefix": "usf",
"body": [
"const [$1, set$1] = useState($2);"
],
"description": "React useState Hook snippet"
}This hack alone saves me hours in long coding sessions.
6. Debugging Inside VS Code
Instead of printing logs everywhere, I now debug code directly inside VS Code. By creating a launch.json configuration, I can run my app and place breakpoints on the fly. Watching variables update in real time is so much better than spamming console.log().
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"type": "node",
"request": "launch",
"name": "Launch App",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/app.js"
}
]
}This hack turned me from a “log debugger” into a proper problem solver.
7. Extensions That Supercharged My Workflow
VS Code is nothing without extensions. Some I can’t live without:
- Prettier → Auto-formatting
- ESLint → Code quality checks
- REST Client → Testing APIs right inside VS Code
- Docker → Managing containers visually
Every time I start a new project, these extensions are my first installs.
8. Remote Development and SSH
One of the coolest hacks I learned was Remote SSH. Instead of using a clunky SSH terminal, I connect VS Code directly to a remote server. This means I can code on cloud machines or my Raspberry Pi using the same familiar VS Code interface. It feels like magic when you realize your laptop is just an editor, while the heavy lifting happens on a remote server.
9. Live Share for Pair Programming
When working with teammates, Live Share became my go-to hack. Instead of screen sharing, Live Share allows both developers to code in the same session simultaneously. I’ve used it to debug code with friends, teach juniors, and even pair-program across different time zones.
10. Personalizing with Settings Sync
Finally, my favorite hack: Settings Sync. I used to waste time reconfiguring VS Code on different machines. With sync enabled, all my themes, keybindings, and extensions automatically transfer wherever I log in. It’s like carrying my personal VS Code in the cloud.
Final Thoughts: VS Code is More Than an Editor
Mastering these hacks transformed VS Code from just another editor into a complete development environment. Today, whether I’m building AI models in Python, APIs in Node.js, or visual dashboards in React, VS Code feels like home. And every new extension or shortcut I learn adds another layer of productivity.
10 Visual Studio Code Hacks That Changed the Way I Code was originally published in Level Up Coding on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Manalimran