EFFECTIVE/AT LIFE Module 2
AI for Friends/ Module 2/ Lesson 2.2

Installing Visual Studio Code

A lighter, earlier pass at an install Module 3 covers in full — so the real walkthrough feels familiar when you get there.

5 MIN OPTIONAL
Module 3 Covers This in Full

Module 3 walks through this install in more detail. This is a lighter, earlier look — skip it if you'd rather do it once, properly, in Module 3.

1. Download & Install 2. Find Extensions

1Download and Install VS Code

VS Code comes straight from Microsoft's official site. You download an installer, run it, and accept the defaults — nothing to configure at this stage.

Windows

  1. Go to code.visualstudio.com.
  2. Click the download button for Windows.
  3. Run the installer and accept all default options.
  4. Open Visual Studio Code once it finishes.

Mac

  1. Go to code.visualstudio.com.
  2. Click the download button for Mac.
  3. Open the downloaded file and drag Visual Studio Code into your Applications folder.
  4. Open it from Applications (or Spotlight — Cmd + Space, then type "Visual Studio Code"). The first time, macOS may ask you to confirm you trust it — click Open.
+-----------------------------------------+
| (icons) | Welcome                       |
| []      |                               |
| *       | Start                         |
| v       | New File...                   |
| |>      | Open Folder...                |
| []      |                               |
|         | (empty editor area)           |
+-----------------------------------------+

A window with a Welcome tab, a row of icons down the left sidebar, and an empty editor area in the middle — identical on Windows and Mac.

Official Site Only

Download only from code.visualstudio.com — not a third-party download site. The official installer is safe and free.

Defaults Are Fine Here

You do not need to change any installer option. Click through with the defaults. Module 3 covers any settings that matter later.

2Find the Extensions Panel

Extensions are add-ons that give VS Code new abilities. Don't install any yet — the goal here is just finding the panel so it's familiar in Module 3.

  1. Look at the left sidebar for the Extensions icon (four squares).
  2. Click it, or press Ctrl + Shift + X (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + X (Mac) to open the panel.
  3. Type a name in the search box to see how results appear.
  4. Browse the list. Don't click Install on anything yet.
Install Nothing Yet

Module 3 tells you exactly which extensions to add. Installing them now, out of order, only creates confusion — just look.

Verification

VS Code opens cleanly to the Welcome tab
You can open the Extensions panel and search it
Leave It Installed

Keep VS Code installed after this lesson. Module 3 picks up right where you left off and installs the extensions you actually need.

Related Resources

Lesson complete

You have VS Code installed and know where the Extensions panel lives — the two things that make Module 3's editor setup feel familiar.