Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has become a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for PowerShell developers, offering a rich set of features and capabilities that streamline the PowerShell development process. The PowerShell extension for VS Code, maintained by the PowerShell team and the community, provides an exceptional experience for writing, debugging, and managing PowerShell scripts.

Powerful Features for PowerShell Developers

The PowerShell extension for VS Code delivers a wide range of features that enhance the PowerShell development experience:

Syntax Highlighting

The extension provides advanced syntax highlighting, making it easier to read and understand your PowerShell scripts at a glance.

Code Snippets

With the built-in code snippets, you can quickly insert common PowerShell code patterns, saving you time and improving your productivity.

IntelliSense

The extension offers IntelliSense, providing intelligent code completion for cmdlets, variables, and more, reducing the need for manual lookups.

Problem Reporting

The PowerShell Script Analyzer is integrated, highlighting potential issues or best practices violations in your scripts.

You can easily navigate your code, go to the definition of cmdlets, variables, and classes, as well as find references to them.

Debugging

The extension integrates with the PowerShell debugger, allowing you to set breakpoints, inspect variables, and step through your scripts.

Extension Terminal

The Extension Terminal enables you to interact with the debugger, making it easier to test and troubleshoot your PowerShell code.

Themes and Modes

The extension includes the PowerShell ISE theme, and you can also try the ISE Mode, which emulates the familiar PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment.

Comprehensive Platform Support

The PowerShell extension for VS Code is designed to work across a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, supporting both Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell Core 7.2 or higher.

Getting Started and Staying Up-to-Date

To get started, you can install the PowerShell extension directly from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. We recommend trying the pre-release version whenever possible to access the latest features and improvements.

As the PowerShell team and community continually enhance the extension, be sure to keep an eye out for updates and new versions to ensure you have the best possible PowerShell development experience in Visual Studio Code.

For more detailed information, please refer to the PowerShell for Visual Studio Code GitHub repository.