Why Switch from VS Code to the Fully Open‑Source VS Codium?
The article explains that while VS Code uses an open‑core model with its core released under the MIT license, Microsoft adds proprietary telemetry and a locked‑down extension marketplace, prompting the author to adopt VS Codium—a completely open‑source, telemetry‑free fork—detailing its features, personal experience, and cross‑platform installation steps.
Background: VS Code’s Open‑Core Model
Microsoft’s VS Code is not fully open source; it follows an open‑core approach where the core editor is released under the MIT license, but Microsoft ships a proprietary version that includes telemetry and a custom extension marketplace.
This model is similar to Chromium, where the open‑source core is modified by Google to create the Chrome browser with added proprietary services.
Proprietary Aspects of VS Code
Non‑Microsoft forks of VS Code cannot use extensions from the official VS Code Marketplace, and some Microsoft‑published extensions run only in the official build, not in community forks.
Microsoft retains the right to charge for extensions and the extension marketplace, even though the core is open.
Why Switch to VS Codium?
VS Codium provides a completely MIT‑licensed, telemetry‑free build of VS Code by compiling the source code directly from the repository, removing Microsoft’s proprietary constraints.
The author prefers VS Codium to avoid telemetry and the increasingly commercialized extension marketplace.
Personal Experience with VS Codium
Initially, the author was concerned about extension availability, but the Open VSX registry now offers most popular VS Code extensions for VS Codium.
The only missing piece was the “Monokai Pro” theme, which was replaced by the free “Blackboard Pro” theme from Open VSX.
Installation Guide
Installing VS Codium is easiest via the package manager for each operating system:
Windows: Download the installer from the VS Codium website or use a package manager like winget install vscodium.
macOS: Use Homebrew: brew install --cask vscodium.
Linux (Ubuntu): Use the official .deb package or Snap: sudo snap install codium --classic or sudo apt install ./vscodium‑*.deb.
After installation, open the Open VSX registry (https://open‑vsx.org) to download and install desired extensions.
Performance Observations
The author did not notice a significant performance difference on high‑spec hardware but believes VS Codium has a slight edge because it does not run background telemetry.
Users of VS Code are encouraged to try VS Codium to see if it better fits their privacy and performance needs.
Original article: https://ruky.me/2022/06/11/im-switching-form-vs-code-to-vs-codium/
Signed-in readers can open the original source through BestHub's protected redirect.
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