15 Essential VS Code Extensions for Web Developers in 2025
# Essential VS Code Extensions for Web Developers
Visual Studio Code is the most popular code editor for web development. Here are 15 extensions that will supercharge your workflow.
## Code Quality & Formatting
### 1. ESLint
Identify and fix JavaScript problems automatically.
```json
{
"editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
"source.fixAll.eslint": true
}
}
```
### 2. Prettier
Opinionated code formatter for consistent style.
**Why you need it:** Eliminates formatting debates and keeps code consistent across teams.
### 3. Error Lens
Shows errors and warnings inline, right where they occur.
## Productivity
### 4. GitHub Copilot
AI-powered code completion that understands context.
**Pro tip:** Use comments to describe what you want, and Copilot will suggest the code.
### 5. Auto Rename Tag
Automatically rename paired HTML/XML tags.
### 6. Path Intellisense
Autocomplete for file paths in your project.
### 7. GitLens
Supercharged Git integration with blame annotations and history.
## Language Support
### 8. Python
Full-featured Python development support.
### 9. Django
Template syntax highlighting and snippets for Django.
### 10. Tailwind CSS IntelliSense
Autocomplete and linting for Tailwind classes.
## Snippets & Templates
### 11. ES7+ React/Redux/React-Native Snippets
Quick shortcuts for React development.
**Examples:**
- `rafce` → React Arrow Function Component Export
- `useState` → useState hook snippet
### 12. Django Snippets
Common Django patterns at your fingertips.
## Visual Enhancements
### 13. Material Icon Theme
Beautiful icons for your file explorer.
### 14. One Dark Pro
Popular dark theme easy on the eyes.
### 15. Bracket Pair Colorizer 2
Color-matched brackets for easier code reading.
*Note: VS Code now has this built-in! Enable in settings.*
## Bonus: Settings Sync
Enable Settings Sync to keep your extensions and settings consistent across machines:
1. Click the gear icon (bottom-left)
2. Select "Turn on Settings Sync..."
3. Sign in with GitHub or Microsoft
## Performance Tips
Having too many extensions can slow down VS Code. Here's how to manage:
- Disable extensions you rarely use
- Use workspace-specific extension recommendations
- Check the "Extensions: Show Running Extensions" command
## My Configuration
```json
{
"editor.formatOnSave": true,
"editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
"editor.fontSize": 14,
"editor.lineHeight": 1.6,
"editor.minimap.enabled": false,
"workbench.colorTheme": "One Dark Pro",
"workbench.iconTheme": "material-icon-theme"
}
```
## Conclusion
The right extensions can dramatically improve your productivity. Start with these essentials and customize based on your specific needs.
What are your favorite VS Code extensions? Let us know in the comments!