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VS Code User Interface

Basic Layout

At its heart, Visual Studio Code is a code editor. Like many other code editors, VS Code adopts a common user interface and layout of an explorer on the left, showing all of the files and folders you have access to, and an editor on the right, showing the content of the files you have opened.

VS Code comes with a simple and intuitive layout that maximizes the space provided for the editor while leaving ample room to browse and access the full context of your folder or project. The UI is divided into five areas:

• Editor - The main area to edit your files. You can open as many editors as you like side by side vertically and horizontally.
• Side Bar - Contains different views like the Explorer to assist you while working on your project.
• Status Bar - Information about the opened project and the files you edit.
• Activity Bar - Located on the far left-hand side, this lets you switch between views and gives you additional context-specific indicators, like the number of outgoing changes when Git is enabled.
• Panels - You can display different panels below the editor region for output or debug information, errors and warnings, or an integrated terminal. Panel can also be moved to the right for more vertical space.

Each time you start VS Code, it opens up in the same state it was in when you last closed it. The folder, layout, and opened files are preserved.

The Command Palette

All functions of Visual Studio Code can be accessed via keyboard only. To do so, just make use of the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):

Code Editor