Microsoft’s code editor, Visual Studio Code, has released version 1.79, bringing several new features and enhancements. Among the notable additions are a read-only mode for files and folders and automatic copying of external files, images, and videos.
With the new read-only mode, developers can mark specific files or folders within their workspace as read-only. This feature serves as a protective measure, particularly useful when managing files that are handled by different processes. For instance, the mode_modules folder managed by the Node.js package manager can be marked as read-only to prevent unintended modifications.
Visual Studio Code 1.79 also introduces automatic copying of external files. When working with Markdown documents, developers can now directly drop or paste images or videos into the document. Visual Studio Code will automatically copy the file into the workspace and generate a link to it. This convenient feature eliminates the need for manual copying and linking processes, streamlining the workflow.
The latest release builds upon the previous version, Visual Studio Code 1.78, and includes additional enhancements:
- After pasting a file, Visual Studio Code now provides a “paste as” control, allowing users to choose different ways to insert the content.
- The workbench.editor.tabSizing setting now includes a fixed option, ensuring equal-width tabs. When screen space is limited, the tabs will proportionally shrink while maintaining a minimum size.
In response to recent industry changes, all new Git repositories created using Visual Studio Code now set “main” as their default branch, aligning with evolving best practices.
Developers working with notebooks will appreciate the ability to search for rich content directly from the Search control. Additionally, a new context key, notebookOutputInputFocused, enables the use of hotkeys while a text box within a cell output is in focus, enhancing productivity.
Linked editing for JSX tags is now supported, with Visual Studio Code automatically updating the corresponding closing tag when an opening JSX tag is modified. This feature saves time and ensures consistent code structure.
Furthermore, TypeScript 5.1.3 is bundled with the editor, providing the latest improvements and features for TypeScript developers.
Visual Studio Code 1.79 continues to enhance the coding experience, offering new tools and functionality to streamline development workflows. Developers can download the latest version from the Visual Studio Code website for Windows, Linux, or Mac, and take advantage of these powerful new features.
