8 VS Code Hacks to Supercharge Your Development Efficiency

According to Stack Overflow’s 2018 developer survey, Visual Studio Code overtook Visual Studio to become the most popular development environment worldwide.

1. View all shortcuts

Press Ctrl+K then Ctrl+S to open the full keyboard shortcut list and search for any command you need.

2. Quick file and symbol search

Press Ctrl+P to open the search bar. Type a keyword to locate symbols across the entire workspace, or prefix with @ to search within the current file. Use > to run commands such as the Spring Initializr extension.

3. Bookmark important code

Install the Bookmarks extension, then use Ctrl+P followed by > and the extension name to access its commands. Create labeled bookmarks (e.g., “getId”) and jump directly to them via the “List from All Files” view.

4. Peek definitions and references

Right‑click a function or variable and choose “Peek Definition” to view its source without leaving your current location, or “Peek References” to see where it’s used elsewhere.

5. Zoom the editor

Use Ctrl+= to increase font size and Ctrl+- to decrease it, providing instant scaling without navigating the settings menu.

6. Convert JSON to code

Install the Paste JSON As Code extension. Open the command palette, run the command, and your JSON will be serialized into ready‑to‑use Java (or other language) code.

7. Leverage GitLens

GitLens shows commit history, author information, and timestamps directly in the editor. Use “Toggle File Blame Annotation” to compare your changes with the original repository and explore branch details.

8. Real‑time collaboration with Live Share

The VS Live Share extension lets you share your workspace, terminals, local web apps, and even voice calls with teammates instantly, without requiring them to clone the repository. After installing, start a session, copy the generated URL, and invite others to join the collaborative coding environment.

These eight tips and extensions turn VS Code into a powerful, efficient, and collaborative development hub.