Installing Visual Studio Code: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

2.2 Installing Visual Studio Code

Welcome to the exciting journey of building your first web page with JavaScript! Before we dive into coding, we need to set up our development environment. One of the most popular and powerful tools for writing code is Visual Studio Code (VSCode). In this section, we’ll walk you through the process of installing VSCode on different operating systems: Windows, macOS, and Linux. We’ll also cover system requirements and provide troubleshooting tips for common installation issues.

Why Choose Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It is lightweight yet powerful, offering a range of features that make it an excellent choice for web development:

• Intelligent Code Completion: VSCode provides smart suggestions and auto-completion to speed up your coding process.
• Built-in Git Support: Easily manage your code versions with integrated Git commands.
• Extensions Marketplace: Customize your editor with thousands of extensions for different languages and tools.
• Debugging Tools: Debug your code directly within the editor.
• Cross-Platform: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

System Requirements

Before installing VSCode, ensure your system meets the following minimum requirements:

• Windows: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (64-bit recommended)
• macOS: macOS 10.11 or later
• Linux: Ubuntu 16.04+, Debian 9+, Fedora 30+, or any other distribution with GLIBC 2.17+

Installing Visual Studio Code on Windows

Let’s start with the installation process on Windows. Follow these steps to get VSCode up and running:

Step 1: Download Visual Studio Code

1. Open your web browser and navigate to the Visual Studio Code download page.
2. Click on the Windows download link. This will download the installer file (.exe) to your computer.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Locate the downloaded .exe file in your Downloads folder or wherever you saved it.
2. Double-click the file to start the installation process.

Step 3: Accept the License Agreement

1. Read through the license agreement.
2. Check the box to accept the terms and click Next.

Step 4: Choose Installation Location

1. Choose the destination folder where you want to install VSCode. The default location is usually fine.
2. Click Next to continue.

Step 5: Select Additional Tasks

1. You can choose to create a desktop icon and add VSCode to your PATH. These options are recommended for easier access.
2. Click Next and then Install to begin the installation.

Step 6: Launch Visual Studio Code

1. Once the installation is complete, check the box to launch Visual Studio Code.
2. Click Finish to open VSCode.

Installing Visual Studio Code on macOS

For macOS users, the installation process is slightly different. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Download Visual Studio Code

1. Visit the Visual Studio Code download page.
2. Click on the macOS download link. This will download a .zip file.

Step 2: Extract the Archive

1. Open your Downloads folder and locate the downloaded .zip file.
2. Double-click the file to extract its contents.

Step 3: Move to Applications

1. Drag the extracted Visual Studio Code.app file into your Applications folder.

Step 4: Open Visual Studio Code

1. Navigate to your Applications folder.
2. Double-click Visual Studio Code to launch the editor.

Step 5: Grant Permissions

1. If prompted, confirm that you want to open the application downloaded from the internet.

Installing Visual Studio Code on Linux

For Linux users, the installation process varies slightly depending on your distribution. We’ll cover the steps for Ubuntu/Debian and Fedora:

Ubuntu/Debian

Step 1: Update Package Index

Open your terminal and run the following command to update your package index:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Ensure you have the necessary dependencies installed:

sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https wget

Step 3: Add Microsoft GPG Key

Run the following command to import the Microsoft GPG key:

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

Step 4: Enable VSCode Repository

Add the VSCode repository to your sources list:

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

Step 5: Install Visual Studio Code

Now, install VSCode using the following command:

sudo apt install code

Fedora

Step 1: Import Microsoft GPG Key

Open your terminal and run:

sudo rpm --import https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc

Step 2: Add VSCode Repository

Create a new repository file:

sudo sh -c 'echo -e "[code]\nname=Visual Studio Code\nbaseurl=https://packages.microsoft.com/yumrepos/vscode\nenabled=1\ngpgcheck=1\ngpgkey=https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc" > /etc/yum.repos.d/vscode.repo'

Step 3: Install Visual Studio Code

Use the following command to install VSCode:

sudo dnf install code

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

Even with the best instructions, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Here are some common issues and how to resolve them:

Issue 1: Installation Fails on Windows

• Solution: Ensure you have administrative privileges. Right-click the installer and select “Run as administrator.”

Issue 2: VSCode Won’t Launch on macOS

• Solution: Check your security settings. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and allow apps from identified developers.

Issue 3: Package Not Found on Linux

• Solution: Double-check that you’ve added the repository correctly and updated your package index.

Try It Yourself

Now that you have VSCode installed, let’s try a simple exercise:

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Create a new file by clicking File > New File.
3. Type the following code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Hello, World!</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
</body>
</html>

4. Save the file as index.html.
5. Open the file in your web browser to see your first web page!

Summary

In this section, we’ve covered the installation of Visual Studio Code on Windows, macOS, and Linux. We’ve also discussed system requirements and provided troubleshooting tips for common issues. With VSCode installed, you’re now ready to start building your first web page with JavaScript!

Quiz Time!