You can also switch between the Stable and Insiders versions of VS Code for the Web by selecting the gear icon, then Switch to Insiders Version., or by navigating directly to. When you're ready to switch, you'll be able to 'upgrade' to the full VS Code desktop experience with a few clicks. In addition, VS Code desktop lets you run extensions that aren't supported in the web version, and use a full set of keyboard shortcuts not limited by your browser.

However, if you need access to a runtime to run, build, or debug your code, or you want to use platform features such as a terminal, we recommend moving your work to the desktop application or GitHub Codespaces for the full capabilities of VS Code. VS Code for the Web provides a browser-based experience for navigating files and repositories and committing lightweight code changes. VS Code for the Web runs entirely in your web browser, so there are certain limitations compared to the desktop experience, which you can read more about below. In addition to opening repositories, forks, and pull requests from source control providers like GitHub and Azure Repos (in preview), you can also work with code that is stored on your local machine. VS Code for the Web has many of the features of VS Code desktop that you love, including search and syntax highlighting while browsing and editing, along with extension support to work on your codebase and make simpler edits.

Visual Studio Code for the Web provides a free, zero-install Microsoft Visual Studio Code experience running entirely in your browser, allowing you to quickly and safely browse source code repositories and make lightweight code changes. Configure IntelliSense for cross-compiling.

Mac code editor with live preview