Code faster with these VS Code shortcuts

Introduction

This tutorial will help you boost your coding efficiency with essential shortcuts in Visual Studio Code (VS Code). Mastering these shortcuts can significantly speed up your workflow and improve your coding experience. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced coder, these tips will enhance your productivity.

Step 1: Navigating Files Efficiently

• Use Ctrl + P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + P (Mac) to quickly open files.
• Start typing the file name to search through your project files.
• To navigate between recently opened files, use Ctrl + Tab.

Step 2: Editing Shortcuts

• Use Ctrl + / to comment or uncomment selected lines of code.
• To duplicate a line, press Shift + Alt + Down Arrow (Windows/Linux) or Shift + Option + Down Arrow (Mac).
• To delete the current line, use Ctrl + Shift + K.

Step 3: Code Navigation

• Jump to a specific line in your code by pressing Ctrl + G and entering the line number.
• Use F12 to go to the definition of a symbol, or Alt + F12 to peek at the definition without leaving your current file.
• Navigate back to the previous location with Ctrl + -.

Step 4: Multi-Cursor Functionality

• Create multiple cursors by holding Alt (Windows/Linux) or Option (Mac) and clicking in different locations in your code.
• Use Ctrl + Click (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Click (Mac) to add cursors where you want to edit.

Step 5: Integrated Terminal Shortcuts

• Open the integrated terminal with Ctrl + ` (the backtick key).
• Use Ctrl + C to copy from the terminal and Ctrl + V to paste into it.
• Switch between terminal instances using Ctrl + Shift + [ or Ctrl + Shift + ].

Step 6: Debugging Shortcuts

• Start debugging with F5.
• Use F9 to toggle breakpoints in your code.
• Step over to the next line of code with F10.

Conclusion

By incorporating these VS Code shortcuts into your daily coding routine, you can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity. Practice using these shortcuts regularly to make them second nature. For further learning, consider exploring additional features of VS Code and customizing your setup to fit your workflow.