The VS Code extensions most setups end up with handle formatting, linting, Git history, live preview, spelling, file paths and API testing. Check installs, the rating count and the last updated date in VS Code's extension gallery, because installs and ratings often tell different stories. Ten everyday extensions follow in no particular order.
Every VS Code setup collects a handful of everyday extensions: a formatter, a linter, something for Git, a local server with live reload and a spell checker for code. The ten here are all-rounders like that, not language packs or themes.
They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Installs, average ratings, rating counts and last updated dates are from the Visual Studio extension gallery, as of Oct 2026. If you're comparing tools beyond the editor, my piece on what to look for in developer productivity tools is a good next read.
Ten everyday VS Code extensions in one table
Type and Good for come from each extension's own gallery description. No listing here mentions a free plan, so the last column says Not stated for every one.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Spell Checker | Spell checker | Catching spelling mistakes in source code | Not stated |
| Error Lens | Error highlighting | Making errors and warnings easier to see | Not stated |
| ESLint | JavaScript linter | Linting JavaScript inside the editor | Not stated |
| GitLens | Git tools | Git blame, history and repository views | Not stated |
| Live Server | Local development server | Live reload for static and dynamic pages | Not stated |
| Path Intellisense | Autocomplete | Autocompleting file names and paths | Not stated |
| Prettier | Code formatter | Formatting code to one consistent style | Not stated |
| REST Client | API client | Sending HTTP requests from inside VS Code | Not stated |
| Thunder Client | API client | A lightweight REST API client | Not stated |
| Todo Tree | Comment tag viewer | Listing TODO and FIXME comments in a tree view | Not stated |
Ten extensions most setups end up with
Code Spell Checker
Best for: Catching typos in your code and comments before a reviewer does, with a spelling checker built for source code.
Error Lens
Best for: Seeing errors, warnings and other diagnostics highlighted more clearly in the editor, so problems are harder to miss.
ESLint
Best for: JavaScript developers who want lint warnings inside the editor, from an extension published by Microsoft.
GitLens
Best for: Seeing who changed each line and when through Git blame annotations, plus richer ways to explore a repository's history.
Live Server
Best for: Front-end work where you want the browser to reload as soon as you save, from a local development server.
Path Intellisense
Best for: Typing file paths without typos, since it autocompletes file names as you type them.
Prettier
Best for: Teams that want every file formatted the same way, so code style stops coming up in reviews.
REST Client
Best for: Testing REST APIs without leaving the editor, from a client whose listing was last updated on August 19, 2022.
Thunder Client
Best for: Sending and checking API requests from a lightweight client inside VS Code, rather than a separate app.
Todo Tree
Best for: Keeping track of TODO and FIXME notes left in comments, gathered into one tree view instead of scattered across files.
Installs against ratings in the extension gallery
The install count and the average rating can sit miles apart. Thunder Client has 7,669,887 installs and a 2.4 average from 769 ratings, as of Oct 2026. REST Client, another API client, averages 4.9 from 388 ratings, though its last update was August 19, 2022.
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The biggest names show the same gap. GitLens has 53,627,722 installs and averages 3.4, and Prettier has 72,615,423 installs and averages 3.5, as of Oct 2026. ESLint has 53,574,097 installs but only 251 ratings. So read the rating count, the average and the last updated date together; one number on its own won't tell you much.
Which extension for which everyday job
- Code style keeps coming up in reviews: pick a formatter.
- You write JavaScript: pick a linter that shows problems in the editor.
- You want to know who changed a line: pick a Git history extension.
- You build web pages: pick a local server with live reload.
- You test APIs: pick an API client that runs inside the editor, and compare the ratings before you choose.
- You leave notes to yourself in comments: pick a comment tag viewer.
My piece on how API testing tools help web developers explains why that kind of tool earns its place.
Keeping your extension list lean
- Add extensions one at a time and notice what changed.
- Check the publisher name and the last updated date on the gallery page.
- Disable extensions for a workspace when a project doesn't need them.
- Every few months, uninstall anything you haven't used.
A short list is easier to keep on top of. When something in the editor starts behaving oddly, you'll have fewer places to look, and you won't be scrolling past extensions you forgot you'd installed.
Do you make a VS Code extension? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on VS Code extensions
Install less than you think you need. A formatter, a linter and one Git helper cover most days, and you can add the rest when a real job calls for it. Before you install anything, look at the publisher, the rating count and the last updated date, not just the install total.
When you're ready to go further, my guide to the best AI coding assistants covers the tools that write code alongside you.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most installed VS Code extensions?
On this list, the local server with live reload leads with 83,961,941 installs as of Oct 2026, followed by the formatter, then the Git history extension and the JavaScript linter, which are almost level.
Why does a popular VS Code extension have a low rating?
The gallery doesn't say why. Installs count everyone who added the extension, while ratings only come from people who chose to rate it, so read the two together.
How many VS Code extensions should I install?
As few as do the job. Add them one at a time, disable the ones a project doesn't need, and uninstall the ones you've stopped using.
Are VS Code extensions free?
None of these listings mentions a free plan, so the table says Not stated. Check each gallery page before you install.
How do I check when a VS Code extension was last updated?
Open its page in the extension gallery or the Extensions view and look for the last updated date. On this list the oldest is August 19, 2022, as of Oct 2026.
