VSCodium - Open Source Version of VS Code

Introduction

VS Code is one of the most popular code editors available today. Developed by Microsoft this powerful and flexible tool is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It has gained a massive following among developers thanks to its impressive set of features, ease of use, and versatility.

However, some users are wary of using VS Code due to Microsoft’s involvement in its development. If you’re one of them, you’ll be glad to know that there’s an alternative - VSCodium.

VSCodium is an open source version of VS Code that’s free of Microsoft’s proprietary code. It is a community-driven, freely-licensed binary distribution of Microsoft’s editor VS Code. This means that VSCodium is a fully functional code editor, with all of the features of VS Code, but without any of the data collection or tracking that is built into the official version.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about VSCodium.

VSCodium Features

VSCodium has all the features of VS Code, including:

• A lightweight and fast code editor
• Support for multiple languages and frameworks
• A powerful IntelliSense system that provides code completion and suggestions
• Integrated terminal
• Debugging capabilities
• Built-in Git support
• An extensive library of extensions

VSCodium Benefits

Here are some of the benefits of using VSCodium:

• Open source: As mentioned earlier, VSCodium is open source, which means that anyone can view, modify, and distribute its code. This provides users with more transparency and control over their development environment.
• Privacy: Unlike VS Code, VSCodium doesn’t send telemetry data back to Microsoft. This means that your usage data and habits aren’t tracked or recorded.
• Community-driven: VSCodium is maintained by the community, which means that bugs and issues are fixed quickly. Users also have the ability to contribute to the project and make it better.
• Easy to use: VSCodium is incredibly easy to install and use. It has a simple interface and intuitive features that make coding a breeze.

How is it different?

How VSCodium Differs from VS Code?

Well, while VSCodium is built using the same source code as VS Code, and it includes all of the same features and functionality, there are some key differences between the two. Here are some of the main ones:

• No branding: VSCodium doesn’t have the VS Code branding, which means that it doesn’t display the Microsoft logo or name.
• No telemetry: As mentioned earlier, VSCodium doesn’t send telemetry data back to Microsoft.
• Different licensing: VS Code is licensed under a proprietary license, while VSCodium is licensed under the MIT license. This means that VSCodium is free to use, modify, and distribute.

How it works?

Microsoft’s VS Code source code is open source (MIT-licensed), but the product available for download (Visual Studio Code) is licensed under not-FLOSS license and contains telemetry and various tracking elements. FLOSS stands for Free-Libre / Open Source Software licensing. Detailed explanation is here.

VSCodium project includes special build scripts that clone Microsoft’s VS Code repo, run the build commands, and upload the resulting binaries for you to GitHub releases. These binaries are licensed under the MIT license and have telemetry and tracking disabled.

Some people prefer to use VSCodium because they value their privacy and do not want to use a product that collects data on their usage. Others may prefer VSCodium because it is fully open-source and they want to use a version of the editor that they can fully control and modify.

If you want to build from source yourself, head over to Microsoft’s VS Code repo and follow their instructions. VSCodium exists to make it easier to get the latest version of MIT-licensed VSCode.

FAQs

Q: Is VSCodium free to use?
A: Yes, VSCodium is completely free to use.

Q: Does VSCodium have all the features of VS Code?
A: Yes, VSCodium has all the features of VS Code, but without the Microsoft branding and telemetry.

Q: Can I use VSCodium for commercial purposes?
A: Yes, VSCodium is licensed under the MIT license, which allows for commercial use.

Q: Is VSCodium available for all platforms?
A: Yes, VSCodium is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an open source alternative to VS Code, VSCodium is a good choice for anyone who wants to use a high-quality code editor without any concerns about data collection or branding.

It is a fully functional and feature-rich code editor that is built using the same source code as VS Code. Plus, it’s maintained by the community, which means that it’s constantly improving and evolving.

Download latest release to give VSCodium a try.