VS Code
The interface, the command palette, and the shortcuts worth knowing cold.
TopNotchNote
Notes that matter
installation via terminal
sudo snap install --classic code | https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/linux | installs VS Code on Ubuntu via snap |'vsc_inst1'
code . | | opens the current directory as a VS Code workspace — the command you'll type more than any other |'vsc_inst2'
the interface, briefly
| Part | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Activity Bar | the leftmost strip of icons — Explorer, Search, Source Control, Run & Debug, Extensions |
| Side Bar | whatever the current Activity Bar icon shows — usually the file tree |
| Editor Groups | the split panes holding open files; drag a tab to create a new group |
| Panel | bottom area: integrated Terminal, Problems, Output, Debug Console |
| Status Bar | bottom strip — branch name, errors/warnings count, line/column, language mode |
command palette and quick open
Almost everything in VS Code is reachable without touching the mouse, through two boxes that
look similar but do different things.
ctrl+shift+p | https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/userinterface | Command Palette — run any command by name, e.g. "Format Document" |'vsc_cmd1'
ctrl+p | | Quick Open — jump straight to a file by (fuzzy) name |'vsc_cmd2'
ctrl+shift+o | | Go to Symbol — jump to a function/class/variable within the current file |'vsc_cmd3'
ctrl+t | | Go to Symbol in Workspace — the same, across the whole project |'vsc_cmd4'
essential keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Does |
|---|---|
| ctrl+` | toggle the integrated terminal |
| ctrl+b | toggle the side bar |
| ctrl+, | open Settings |
| ctrl+shift+e | focus the Explorer |
| ctrl+shift+f | search across every file in the workspace |
| ctrl+shift+g | open Source Control (git) |
| ctrl+shift+d | open Run & Debug |
| ctrl+shift+x | open Extensions |
| ctrl+/ | toggle line comment |
| alt+up / alt+down | move the current line up/down |
| f12 | go to definition |
| shift+f12 | find all references |
| ctrl+. | quick fix / code actions at the cursor |
settings.json vs keybindings.json
User settings (
settings.json) apply everywhere on your
machine. Workspace settings live in a .vscode/settings.json
inside a specific repo and override user settings just for that project — commit this
one so the whole team shares it (tab size, formatter, exclude patterns). Keybindings
follow the same idea but for shortcuts instead of settings.
ctrl+shift+p → Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON) | | opens settings.json directly, instead of the GUI settings page |'vsc_set1'
ctrl+shift+p → Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON) | | opens keybindings.json directly — where custom shortcuts actually live |'vsc_set2'
workspaces
A single folder opened with
code . is the common case, but a
multi-root workspace — several unrelated folders open together, saved as
one .code-workspace file — is useful when a project spans multiple
repositories (e.g. a library and the app that consumes it).
related topics
VS Code Productivity — multi-cursor editing, snippets, and tasks, once the basics here are comfortable.
VS Code Extensions — the marketplace packages worth installing first.
Vim Cheat Sheet — the keyboard-only alternative, if the mouse-driven interface here isn't your style.
VS Code Extensions — the marketplace packages worth installing first.
Vim Cheat Sheet — the keyboard-only alternative, if the mouse-driven interface here isn't your style.