Installing Visual Studio Code

Keywords: visual-studio-code

Steps

Click the following image to be redirected to a YouTube video tutorial for installing Visual Studio Code (also called VSCode).

Sidenote: An exasperated reader may wonder, “why go through steps 1-3 when it can be as easy as clicking a link to the VSCode download page?” This would be easier, but hyperlinks (or URLs) are bound to change through the years of website maintenance and alterations. (One could also argue that steps 1-3 could become incorrect, as well, but hopefully they will not.) If you, time-traveler, would like to try your luck, go here: https://code.visualstudio.com/download

If the link works, skip to step 4.

P.S. It should be second-nature to a user to quickly search, find, download, and install a program. It is vital to ensure that the correct program is downloaded and installed, however. Over time, guides like this one can become deprecated, but one must be resilient in problem-solving. Use search engines like Google to find what you are looking for. If one path does not work, take another that will lead to the same destination or a better one.

1. Open up your favorite web browser. This can be done by pressing the Windows key and typing in the name of the browser, like google chrome (as long as this browser is already installed on your computer). Then press Enter.

2. Once the browser loads, search for visual studio code through the address bar. Press Enter and you will see a list of results through the default search engine (Google, Bing, or whatever is configured on your browser).

3. Identify the result that reads code.visualstudio.com. If using Google, a subresult should read Download. Click that link.

4. This tutorial assumes that the reader is using Windows. Click the blue link that reads Windows. The download will commence; wait for it to finish.

5. Click and open the file once it finishes; the license agreement will appear. If you are proficient in legalese, you can read the wall of text. Then, click I accept the agreement and click Next.

6. Click Next again; it is best to leave the default install path alone for reproducibility in this experiment.

7. Click Next again to create a Start Menu folder. Ensure that Add to PATH is checked. Create a desktop icon can be checked for convenience; it is up to the reader’s choice. Then click Next.

8. Click Install and watch the green progress bar go at the speed of light. Once completed, click Finish. VSCode will open as long as everything went smoothly.