Set up VSCode as your primary development environment for web design and development.

Use this when you’re new to VSCode or need a refresher on installing and configuring it for Next.js and Styled Components projects.

Download VSCode from the official site, then install it. Open a terminal in VSCode and initialize a Next.js project:

npx create-next-app@latest my-vscode-app
cd my-vscode-app
code .

Use the 'code .' command in your terminal to open VSCode directly in your project folder.

Run commands like npm install or git commit directly within VSCode, streamlining your workflow.

Perfect for managing dependencies or running your Next.js dev server without switching to an external terminal.

Open the terminal (Ctrl + `) and start your Next.js app:

npm run dev

Split the terminal into multiple panes with the '+' button to run multiple commands simultaneously.

Enhance VSCode with extensions tailored for web development, like Prettier, ESLint, and Live Server.

Use extensions to format code, catch errors, or preview your site live as you code.

Install the Prettier extension, then format a file:

// Before
let x=1,y=2;
// After (Ctrl + Shift + P > Format Document)
let x = 1;
let y = 2;

Search for 'Next.js' in the Extensions Marketplace to find tools like 'Next.js Snippets' for faster coding.

Get real-time code suggestions and auto-completion to speed up coding and reduce errors.

Ideal for writing React components, Styled Components, or JavaScript/TypeScript code with less typing.

Type 'div' in a JSX file and press Tab to see IntelliSense expand it:

<div></div>

Enable 'Emmet: Trigger Expansion on Tab' in settings for even faster HTML/CSS shortcuts.

Use VSCode’s built-in debugger to step through code, set breakpoints, and inspect variables.

Great for troubleshooting JavaScript or Next.js apps when something isn’t working as expected.

Add a breakpoint by clicking left of a line number, then start debugging:

// app/page.tsx
'use client';

export default function Home() {
  let count = 0;
  console.log(count); // Breakpoint here
  return <div>Hello</div>;
}

Press F5 to start debugging and F10 to step over code—watch the Variables panel for live updates.

Manage Git repositories directly in VSCode to track changes, commit, and push code.

Use this for collaborating on projects or maintaining version history in your Next.js app.

Initialize a Git repo and commit:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Use the Source Control view (Ctrl + Shift + G) to stage and commit changes with a GUI.

Edit multiple lines or instances of text simultaneously to speed up repetitive tasks.

Perfect for renaming variables or adding props across multiple components in a Next.js project.

Hold Alt and click to add cursors, then type:

// Before
let x = 1;
let y = 1;
// After (Alt + Click on each '1')
let x = 2;
let y = 2;

Use Ctrl + D (Cmd + D on Mac) to select the next occurrence of a word and edit all at once.

Create or use pre-built code snippets to insert common code patterns quickly.

Ideal for boilerplate code like React components or Styled Components definitions.

Type 'rfc' with the React snippets extension and press Tab:

'use client';

export default function Component() {
  return <div></div>;
}

Create custom snippets in VSCode settings under 'Configure User Snippets' for your frequent code blocks.