VS Code Extensions Worth Installing

Extensions can transform VS Code or bury it under bloat. The trick is installing a small, deliberate set that solves real friction rather than collecting every shiny plugin.

The dependable core

These cover formatting, linting, and version-control context — the things you touch on almost every project.

ESLint            Inline lint feedback as you type
Prettier          Consistent formatting on save
GitLens           Blame, history, and authorship inline
EditorConfig      Enforce shared whitespace rules
Error Lens        Surfaces diagnostics right on the line

Format on save

Most formatting extensions do nothing until you tell the editor to use them. Wire it up in settings so it's automatic.

{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "source.fixAll.eslint": "explicit"
  }
}

Share the set with your team

A .vscode/extensions.json file recommends extensions to anyone who opens the repo, so onboarding is one click.

{
  "recommendations": [
    "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint",
    "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
    "eamodio.gitlens",
    "usernamehw.errorlens"
  ]
}

Takeaways

• Install a deliberate core, not everything that looks interesting.
• Configure format-on-save so tooling runs without thinking about it.
• Commit extensions.json so the team shares one recommended set.

Audit your extensions occasionally — each one adds startup time, and abandoned plugins are a security and performance liability.