Visual Studio Code is the most popular code editor in the world, but out of the box, it’s just a blank canvas. To truly unlock its potential, you need the right extensions.

Here are 5 extensions that actually move the needle on your coding speed:

1. GitHub Copilot

Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. Copilot acts as an autocomplete on steroids. Start typing a comment like // Create a function that filters out even numbers and watch it write the code for you.

2. Error Lens

Instead of underlining your code in squiggly red lines and making you hover over them to see the error, Error Lens highlights the actual error message inline with your code. It saves you seconds of hovering, which adds up to hours over a week.

3. Auto Rename Tag

If you do any HTML or JSX, this is a must-have. When you rename an opening tag (e.g., changing <div> to <section>), this extension automatically renames the closing tag for you. No more mismatched tags!

4. GitLens

GitLens supercharges Git inside VS Code. It lets you see who wrote a specific line of code, when they wrote it, and why. It’s incredibly useful when jumping into a new codebase.

5. Markdown All in One

If you write README files, documentation, or blog posts, this extension gives you keyboard shortcuts, table formatting, and auto-generates a table of contents.

Did I miss your favorite extension? Drop it in the comments!