Useful Links

• VS Code Documentation
• Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Shortcuts in the Editor

Side Bar Toggles

• Ctrl + B : Toggle side bar open and close
• Ctrl + Shift + E : Open Explorer
• Ctrl + Shift + F : Open Search
• Ctrl + Shift + G : Open Source Control (Git)
• Ctrl + Shift + D : Open Debug Menu
• Ctrl + Shift + X : Open Extensions

General Shortcuts

• Ctrl + Shift + P or Fn + F1 : Open Command Palette (includes Zen Mode, Minimap)
• Ctrl + P : Quick file search
• Ctrl + , : Open Settings
• Ctrl + Shift + N : New VS Code window
• Ctrl + \ : Split Editor

File Handling

• Ctrl + W : Close current file/editor
• Ctrl + Shift + T : Reopen last closed editor
• Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + PgUp/PgDw : Switch through open files
• Ctrl + Shift + Tab : Reverse switch through open files

Text Selection

• Ctrl + C : Copy the entire line where the cursor is located
• Ctrl + D : Select the exact word (can be used to select all instances when pressed multiple times)
• Home / End : Go to the beginning or end of the current line
• Ctrl + Space : Trigger suggestions
• Ctrl + L : Select current line
• Ctrl + Shift + L : Select all instances of the current selection
• Ctrl + Shift + H : Replace in file
• Ctrl + F : Find
• Ctrl + H : Replace

Display

• F11 : Toggle full screen
• Ctrl + =/- : Zoom in or out
• Ctrl + Shift + C : Open Command Prompt/Terminal

Plugins and Extensions

Essential Extensions

• IntelliSense: Provides smart completions based on variable types, function definitions, and imported modules.
• Emmet: Offers shorthand syntax for HTML and CSS, expanding into full code snippets.
• Cascadia Code: A font family from Microsoft designed for coding, includes ligatures.
• Font Ligatures: Turns groups of characters into a single character for improved readability.
• Live Server: Launch a local development server with live reload for HTML/CSS previews.

Markdown Plugins

• Markdown Extended: Enhances Markdown editing capabilities.
• Prettier: Automatically formats code for consistency.
• Markdown Shortcuts: Provides keyboard shortcuts specifically for Markdown editing.
• Markdown Preview Enhanced: A powerful Markdown preview tool with extra features.

Custom Snippets

• Create snippets that translate to predefined code, customizable for individual programming languages. This feature is beneficial for advanced users who want to streamline their coding process.

Advanced Customization

• Edit in JSON: Customize settings, shortcuts, and editor behavior in a JSON file for more granular control.
• Text Wrap: Configure text wrapping preferences.
• Cursor Customization: Set conditions for cursor behavior in specific file types or locations.
• Setting Sync: Sync settings, extensions, and keybindings across devices for a consistent development environment.

Topics to Consider

1. Integrated Debugging: Setting breakpoints and inspecting variables.
2. Remote Development: Using the Remote Development extensions to work with remote servers or containers.
3. Version Control Integration: How to effectively use Git within VS Code.
4. Task Runner: Automate repetitive tasks like building or running scripts.
5. Live Share: Collaborate with others in real-time through Live Share sessions.