Installing VS Code on Windows

Installing Visual Studio Code on Windows

This segment will guide you through the process of downloading and installing Visual Studio Code (VS Code) on your Windows machine. VS Code is a powerful and popular code editor used by developers worldwide.

Downloading VS Code

1. Navigate to the Official Website: Open your web browser and go to the official VS Code download page: https://code.visualstudio.com/download.
2. Select the Windows Installer: The website should automatically detect your operating system. Click the "Download for Windows" button. This will download the VS Code installer executable (.exe file).

Running the Installer

1. Locate the Downloaded File: Once the download is complete, locate the VSCodeUserSetup-{version}.exe file in your Downloads folder (or wherever your browser saves downloaded files).
2. Start the Installation: Double-click the downloaded .exe file to launch the VS Code installer.

Installer Screens and Options

The VS Code installer will guide you through several screens. Here's a breakdown of each:

Screen 1: License Agreement

• Read the license agreement carefully.
• Check the "I accept the agreement" box.
• Click "Next".

Screen 2: Installation Location

• This screen allows you to choose where VS Code will be installed. The default location is usually fine for most users.
• Click "Next".

Screen 3: Start Menu Folder

• This screen lets you choose the name of the Start Menu folder where VS Code's shortcut will be placed. The default name ("Visual Studio Code") is recommended.
• Click "Next".

Screen 4: Select Additional Tasks

This is a crucial screen. Pay close attention to these options:

• Create a desktop icon: Check this box if you want a shortcut to VS Code on your desktop.
• Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer file context menu: Checking this allows you to right-click on a file in File Explorer and open it directly in VS Code. Very useful!
• Add "Open with Code" action to Windows Explorer directory context menu: Checking this allows you to right-click on a folder in File Explorer and open that folder in VS Code. Also very useful!
• Add to PATH: This is the most important option! Checking this box adds VS Code to your system's PATH environment variable. This allows you to launch VS Code from the command prompt or PowerShell by simply typing code. Without this, you'll need to navigate to the VS Code installation directory to run it from the command line.

Ensure the "Add to PATH" checkbox is selected before proceeding!

• Click "Next".

Screen 5: Ready to Install

• Review your settings.
• Click "Install".

Completing the Installation

1. Installation Progress: The installer will now copy files and configure VS Code.
2. Completion Screen: Once the installation is complete, you'll see a "Completing the Visual Studio Code Setup" screen.
3. Launch VS Code: Check the "Launch Visual Studio Code" box if you want to start VS Code immediately.
4. Click "Finish".

Verifying the Installation (and PATH)

1. Launch VS Code: If you didn't check the "Launch Visual Studio Code" box, you can find VS Code in your Start Menu or on your desktop (if you created a desktop icon).
2. Verify Command Line Access: Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window. Type code . (note the space and the dot). This should launch VS Code, opening the current directory in the editor. If this works, VS Code was successfully added to your PATH!

For more detailed information about VS Code and its features, refer to the official documentation: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs