How to Set Up Visual Studio Code for Your First Project

What you need

• A computer where you can install software, and about an hour to work through the starter material.
• A clear, small goal for your first project. For example, a one-page trip planner that lists dates, places and packing items. This is only an example; pick any simple idea you like.
• A habit of checking anything an AI tool tells you before you rely on it.

Step by step

1. Download Visual Studio Code. Start on the getting started page for the editor, which covers downloading the program and learning its basics. Use the download option it provides, and keep to that official source.
2. Read the basics first. Before you open the editor for real work, read the introduction on the same page. Knowing what the editor is for makes the rest of the setup easier to follow.
3. Follow the tutorial that uses AI features. The page includes a walkthrough of using the editor with AI features. Follow it step by step and try each part, rather than skipping ahead to the parts that look exciting.
4. Watch the recommended next video. The page suggests a video on code editing. Watch it after the walkthrough so the editing ideas build on what you already tried.
5. Read the GitHub Copilot Quickstart. The page points to this guide as the next place to learn about AI help while you write code. Read it before you use the assistant on your own project, so you understand what it is meant to do.
6. Write down your first project in plain words. Using your chosen idea, such as the trip planner example, describe in a few sentences what the project should do. Keep the first version small so you can finish it and learn from it.

Tips and common mistakes

• Do not expect every detail to be here. The source material for this guide is a short getting started page. It does not list installation menus, buttons or settings, so this guide does not name them. Check the official page for the current wording and layout.
• Do not skip the basics. Many beginners jump straight into the AI features and then get confused by the screen. Spend a few minutes on the introduction first.
• Keep the first project tiny. A one-page project with three or four features is easier to test than a large idea. Once it works, you can add one change at a time.
• Use prompts that ask for explanations. Asking an AI feature to explain what a piece of your project does helps you learn, rather than just copying code you do not understand. For example:

Example prompt (for an AI feature you have set up):
Explain in plain English what each part of this trip planner page does, one line at a time.

• Test as you go. After each change, open your project and check that it still behaves the way you expect. Do not assume that AI-suggested code is correct because it looks neat.

Use it responsibly

• Check answers. AI features can be wrong or out of date. Read every suggestion, run your project and test it yourself before you trust it.
• Protect privacy. Never paste private data into an AI feature. That includes passwords, bank details, identity numbers, health records, and personal information about friends or family. Use made-up sample data for practice projects.
• Follow the rules. If you use the editor at work or school, follow your organisation’s rules. Also follow the terms of any AI service you use, including the terms for GitHub Copilot if you choose to use it.
• Keep your accounts secure. Use a strong, unique password for any account linked to these tools, and sign out on shared computers.