How to install VS code on Ubuntu

 

How to Install VS Code on Ubuntu: A Beginner's Guide

If you're a developer using Ubuntu, you might be looking for an efficient and reliable code editor. VS Code, developed by Microsoft, is a popular choice among programmers due to its versatility and user-friendly interface. In this guide, we'll take you through the step-by-step process of installing VS Code on Ubuntu.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Prerequisites
3. Installing VS Code via Package Manager
4. Installing VS Code via Snap
5. Installing VS Code via .deb Package
6. Launching VS Code
7. Customizing VS Code
8. Managing VS Code Extensions
9. Updating VS Code
10. Uninstalling VS Code
11. Troubleshooting VS Code
12. Conclusion
13. FAQs

1. Introduction

VS Code is a lightweight and open-source code editor that comes with a rich set of features, such as code highlighting, debugging, and Git integration. It supports a wide range of programming languages and platforms, making it an ideal choice for developers working on multiple projects.

In this article, we'll show you how to install VS Code on Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions.

2. Prerequisites

Before installing VS Code on your Ubuntu system, you need to make sure that your system is up to date and that you have the following prerequisites:

• Ubuntu 16.04 or higher
• Access to the root account or a user account with sudo privileges
• A stable internet connection

3. Installing VS Code via Package Manager

The easiest way to install VS Code on Ubuntu is via the built-in package manager. Follow the steps below to install VS Code via the Terminal:

1. Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for it in the Ubuntu Dash.
2. Add the Microsoft GPG key by running the following command:

wget -q https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -

3. Add the VS Code repository to your system's sources list by running the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main"

4. Update your system's package list by running the following command:

sudo apt update

5. Install VS Code by running the following command:

sudo apt install code

4. Installing VS Code via Snap

Snap is a container-based package management system that allows you to install and manage software on Ubuntu with ease. Follow the steps below to install VS Code via Snap:

1. Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for it in the Ubuntu Dash.
2. Install Snap by running the following command:

sudo apt install snapd

3. Install VS Code via Snap by running the following command:

sudo snap install code --classic

5. Installing VS Code via .deb Package

If you prefer to install VS Code using a .deb package, you can download the latest version from the official VS Code website. Follow the steps below to install VS Code via .deb package:

1. Open your web browser and navigate to the VS Code download page.
2. Select the .deb package for Ubuntu and download it to your system.
3. Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for it in the Ubuntu Dash.
4. Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the .deb package by running the following command:

cd ~/Downloads

6. Install the .deb package by running the following command:

sudo dpkg -i <package-name>.deb

Make sure to replace <package-name> with the actual name of the .deb package that you downloaded.

6. Launching VS Code

After you've installed VS Code, you can launch it by following the steps below:

1. Open the Ubuntu Dash by clicking on the Ubuntu icon in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Type "VS Code" in the search bar and click on the VS Code icon to launch the editor. Alternatively, you can open the Terminal and run the following command:

code

7. Customizing VS Code

VS Code allows you to customize various aspects of the editor, such as keyboard shortcuts, themes, and extensions. To access the settings menu, click on the gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the editor or press Ctrl + ,.

8. Managing VS Code Extensions

One of the most powerful features of VS Code is its extensions marketplace, which allows you to add functionality to the editor. To browse and install extensions, click on the extensions icon in the left-hand sidebar or press Ctrl + Shift + X.

9. Updating VS Code

To update VS Code on Ubuntu, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for it in the Ubuntu Dash.
2. Update your system's package list by running the following command:

sudo apt update

3. Upgrade VS Code to the latest version by running the following command:

sudo apt upgrade code

10. Uninstalling VS Code

To uninstall VS Code from your Ubuntu system, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or by searching for it in the Ubuntu Dash.
2. Remove VS Code by running the following command:

sudo apt remove code

11. Troubleshooting VS Code

If you encounter any issues while using VS Code on Ubuntu, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:

• Restart the editor
• Disable problematic extensions
• Check for updates
• Reinstall VS Code
• Contact VS Code support

12. Conclusion

VS Code is a versatile and user-friendly code editor that is widely used by developers on Ubuntu. In this guide, we've shown you how to install VS Code on Ubuntu using various methods, how to launch and customize the editor, how to manage extensions, and how to troubleshoot common issues.