Visual Studio Code is one of the most used editor. VS Code is one open-source, lightweight, and extensible editor for all platforms.
VS Code is one of the best platforms for Python programmers. Initially, there is no support for Python development in Visual Studio. It needs few plugins to be installed to run Python programs and Python development in Visual Studio. When any file with a particular extension is saved in VS code, it offers few plugins to be installed in suggestion for that specific file extension.
In order to work efficiently with Python programming, there are many VS code extensions.
In this article, we will discuss few best VS code extensions for Python development. These VS code extensions will help in fast and easy Python development.
Table of Contents
1. Python
- Microsoft develops Python extension just like VS code. Python is one essential VS Code extension required for Python programming.
- When a file with a .py extension is saved, VS Code automatically suggests a Python extension be installed. It is a must-have extension.
- Python extension has many features like Intellisense, formatting, unit tests, debugging, code formatting, Linting, refactoring, code navigation, snippets, and many more.
- Apart from many features, this VS Code extension supports Jupyter Notebook as well for Python scripts.
2. Python Snippets
- For beginners, the VS Code extension Python Snippets is handy.
- Ferhat Yalçın develops Python snippets. It is user-friendly and a time-saving extension.
- Python Snippets consists of built-in snippets for the programmer’s ease. In this way, there is no need to type the code many times. One can use built-in snippets in this VS Code extension.
- It has snippets for strings, classes, functions, dictionaries, lists, tuples, and many more.
- Python Snippet extension helps learn as it provides at least one example for each category.
3. Python Docstring Generator
- Documentation is an essential aspect of programming. But it is a hectic task.
- Python Docstring Generator helps to create documentation automatically by creating docstrings. It follows a standard format.
- This extension by VS Code creates docstrings for Python functions and allows to select from different docstring formats.
- There is tabbed navigation support in the extension, which means you can add arguments. Docstring snippets also supports kwargs, args, errors, decorator, and multiline commenting features parameters.
4. Kite AutoComplete AI Code
- The Kite extension makes it easy to write code in VS Code.
- Kite is an AI-based Visual Studio Code extension that helps to write code efficiently and quickly.
- Kite allows you to see the complete summary of a symbol just by hovering over that symbol.
- This extension supports code with auto-completion with the right things. For example, upon calling a function developer will have all the arguments by Kite that could be used.
- The Kite can be used for other programming languages as well apart from Python.
5. Python Indent
- In Python, indentation is significant. This extension in code editor is used to control indentation in Python.
- It provides required spaces and tabs automatically upon hitting the enter button for a new line.
- Python Indent is a helpful extension of VS Code that allows developers to work efficiently without wasting time in fixing indentation errors. It works best in the areas like keyword indentation of if, else, return, etc. Also, it helps in the indentation of bracket pairs, extending comments, etc.
6. Python Test Explorer
- In Python Test Explorer, a developer can run a unit test or pytest tests of Python.
- It allows you to test your code inside VS Code comfort with an efficient User Interface and debugging qualities.
- There is a sidebar in VS Code in the Test view and contains all the available tests.
- As we all know how much necessary unit testing is. It is a plus point to have such an extension in the IDE.
7. Python Preview
- As the name suggests, Python Preview is used to preview the code in Visual Studio Code.
- It allows seeing visual debugging of Python code. This makes debugging quite efficient by including graphics and make visualization understandable.
- It helps to check either we are going in the right direction to build the desired or not.
8. Dash
- Dash is a significant extension to refer to the Python official documentation offline.
- It is not only an extension but also an API Documentation Browser and Code Snippet Manager for macOS for offline documentation.
- The documentation is available offline; there is no need for an internet connection. You need to press ctrl + h to open the official documentation of Python offline.
9. AREPL for Python
- AREPL allows seeing real-time code evaluation. It helps to check the code while typing.
- It helps get an error at an early stage in Visual Studio Code. The error pops up in the log of the editor if there is any while writing the code.
- The developer is not required to run the code; the AREPL extension evaluates automatically.
10. Better Comments
- As the name suggests, this Visual Studio Code extension generates easy and understandable comments for you.
- The comments generated by the Better Comments extension are different in colors to distinguish between queries, alerts, etc. The user is allowed to change the settings.
11. Python Type Hint
- There are types in Python, i.e., built-in types, estimated types, and typing modules.
- Python Type Hint extension generates hints for types to complete items in Visual Studio Code. It is a game-changer.
conclusion
Visual Studio Code is an important tool to code faster with extensions and plugins. Python development in VS Code you will be needing above mentioned extensions to work efficiently. I hope it helped you.
