A step-by-step walkthrough — no experience needed
Before We Start
Visual Studio Code is a free, lightweight code editor built by Microsoft. It's the #1 tool used by developers worldwide — and it's the perfect place for beginners to start.
No subscription, no hidden cost — ever
Opens in seconds, runs on any Windows PC
Python, HTML, JavaScript, and 100s more
The most popular code editor in the world
Open Chrome, Edge, or Firefox and type this address in the URL bar:
On the VS Code website you'll see a big blue button. Click it — the site automatically detects you're on Windows.
Open your Downloads folder and double-click the file named:
The installer opens. Select "I accept the agreement" then click Next.
Please read the following important information before continuing.
The next screen asks where to install VS Code. Leave it as is — the default folder is perfect.
Just click Next.
Where should Visual Studio Code be installed?
At least 380 MB of free disk space is required.
This is the most important screen. Make sure these two boxes are checked:
code . in any terminal to instantly open VS Code — very useful later!
Which additional tasks should be performed?
You'll see a summary of your choices. Click Install and wait about 60 seconds while VS Code installs.
Please wait while Setup installs Visual Studio Code on your computer.
When it finishes, you'll see "Completing Setup." Make sure "Launch Visual Studio Code" is checked, then click Finish.
Setup has finished installing Visual Studio Code on your computer. Click Finish to exit.
This is VS Code's Welcome tab — the first thing you see when it launches. Everything is ready to go.
Ctrl+` to open the built-in terminal — you'll need it for Node.js!
You're ready to code. Here's what to do next:
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