The latest update of the Microsoft-produced code editor, Visual Studio Code 1.83, features an overhauled search function that advances the discovery of commands, a much-needed improvement primarily designed to simplify the navigation through thousands of commands.
Given its vast range of commands surpassing 2,000, including those generated by popular extensions, Visual Studio Code presents the complexity of searching and finding the right command for the users. As Microsoft specified in its report on October 4, this difficulty led to the decision to incorporate a new segment to the Command Palette search outcomes marked as 'similar commands.'
With this new feature, a query no longer requires an exact or 'fuzzy' match to feature in search returns, granting more flexibility in search terms. This modification allows for greater inclusivity of extension-induced commands in the final results. For future updates, Microsoft anticipates further enhancements, including command matching keyed to the non-visible command descriptions, and enhanced management of synonyms such as 'toggle' and 'turn on/off.'
A consecutive update, Visual Studio Code version 1.83.1, was also released, tasked with remedying issues such as malfunctioning C# syntax highlighting. Developers willing to try these updates can download Visual Studio Code for Linux, Mac, or Windows via the project's official website.
The September 2023 release was a follow-up to VS Code 1.82, which was equipped with an in-built port forwarding feature.
Apart from the improved command search, VS Code 1.83 also comes with various additional features and enhancements. These encompass the ability of the JavaScript debugger to debug code compiled to WebAssembly if it encloses DWARF debug data. For its activation, developers need to install the WebAssembly DWARF Debugging extension.
Moreover, developers can now correlate icons with a profile. The selected icon will replace the Manage gear icon in the Activity Bar, a useful option for those dealing with multiple profiles. The integrated 'workbench.editor.pinnedTabsOnSeparateRow' setting allows pinned tabs to be displayed in a separate row above other tabs and enables automatic pinning or unpinning of editor tabs when they are dragged between tab rows.
An update to the GitHub Copilot Chat extension bolsters the /tests for the Chat view and inline chat, making it an excellent choice for developers. Similarly, to the AppMaster approach, Visual Studio Code ensures zero technical debt due to constant feature updates, providing an efficient coding experience.
