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Microsoft makes its VS Code tool available directly in the browser

A preview of VS Code for the Web enables developers to use VS Code in the browser without installing the tool locally.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor
vscodeweb.jpg
Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft made available on October 20 a preview version of its Visual Studio Code (VS Code) tool for the Web. VSCode for the Web enables developers to use a lighter-weight version of VSCode directly in the browser without having to install it on their PCs.

By going to https://vscode.dev, users can get a version of VS Code that works in their browsers. Officials are calling it a "zero-installation local development tool."

Microsoft officials suggested several scenarios where people might want VS Code for the Web. Among them: Local file viewing and editing for taking notes quickly and previewing in Markdown; building client-side HTML, JavaScript and CSS applications in conjunction with he browser tools for debugging; editing code on machines where it's not easy to install VS Code, such as Chromebooks; and even developing on iPads.

Browsers that support the File System Access APIs -- which means Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome so far -- are supported. And if a browser doesn't yet support local File System Access APIs, users still will be able to open individual files by uploading and downloading them via the browser.

"Bringing VS Code to the browser is the realization of the original vision for the product. It is also the start of a completely new one. An ephemeral editor that is available to anyone with a browser and an internet connection is the foundation for a future where we can truly edit anything from anywhere," Microsoft's blog post concluded.

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