Visual Studio Code (aka VS Code) has become the code editor of choice for millions, but are you taking full advantage of what it offers? In this session, Brian will showcase a treasure trove of tips, extensions, and workflows to make VS Code a more powerful ally in your development. From front-end web coding to cloud and desktop development, you’ll see how to tailor VS Code to your needs and boost your productivity.

We’ll start with core editor power-ups – mastering the command palette, custom settings, and key bindings that supercharge your workflow. Then Brian will introduce his favorite extensions for everything from efficient debugging and refactoring to Docker, notebooks, and database management right inside VS Code. You’ll learn how to optimize VS Code for different stacks (C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, and more) and how to leverage features like Remote Development (SSH, Containers, Codespaces) to code anywhere. This demo-packed session is all about practical, real-world use of VS Code, so you can leave with new tricks to immediately apply in your daily coding life.

You will learn:

• Pro tips and hidden gems in VS Code’s core features to speed up editing, navigation, and debugging across any project
• Must-have VS Code extensions and settings for web, cloud, and desktop development – improving everything from git workflows to cloud deployment, all within the editor
• Advanced workflows like remote development with VS Code (using Dev Containers, GitHub Codespaces, or SSH) and how to customize VS Code to fit your development style and team workflow