The Best Open-Source Alternatives to Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code (VSC) has gained immense popularity among developers due to its ease of use, extensive feature set, and seamless integration with a wide range of extensions. However, some users may be concerned about Microsoft's proprietary additions, such as telemetry tracking, which can raise privacy concerns.

Fortunately, there are open-source alternatives to VSC that offer similar functionality without compromising on your data privacy. One such alternative is the VSCodium project, which provides downloadable executables of Code - OSS, built from the VS Code codebase without Microsoft's product.json changes.

Why Choose an Open-Source Alternative?

While it may seem counterintuitive to opt for a different IDE when VSC itself is open-source, the reality is that Microsoft's proprietary additions can be a turn-off for some users. By choosing an open-source alternative, you can ensure that your usage data remains private and secure.

What are the Key Differences Between VS Code and Code - OSS?

In practice, the differences between VS Code and Code - OSS are minimal. However, when you clone and build the code yourself, none of these targets is configured, resulting in a 'clean' version called Code - OSS (OSS stands for open source software).

The official Microsoft-branded release, on the other hand, is customized with Microsoft-specific functionality, including a trademark, an extensions gallery, a proprietary C# debugger, and telemetry.

What are Some Open-Source Alternatives to VS Code?

If you're looking for alternatives to VSC, here are some great options:

* VSCodium: As mentioned earlier, VSCodium provides downloadable executables of Code - OSS, built from the VS Code codebase without Microsoft's product.json changes.

* Other Open-Source IDEs: There are many other open-source IDEs available, each with its own set of features and capabilities.

While VSC is an excellent choice for developers, it's essential to be aware of the potential drawbacks associated with Microsoft's proprietary additions. By choosing an open-source alternative like VSCodium or Code - OSS, you can ensure that your usage data remains private and secure.

Whether or not you care about VS Code's telemetry is up to you. If you're concerned about data privacy, opting for an open-source alternative is a great way to go.

Visual studio code microsoft