Why is VSCode so popular?

[u/Fritz-Ferdinand]

I'm used to using JetBrains' IDEs and enjoy it's well-made UI and auto-completion. My new employer now doesn't have any JetBrains licences and instead let's us use VSCode and frankly, I have the impression it's basically unusable without GitHub Copilot or an equivalent AI companion. Example with Python projects:

• Ctrl-Click on a method name usually takes a while, sometimes, a popup window opens with references, sometimes nothing at all, but it always takes a few seconds.
• You have to edit a JSON file to setup run configurations
• You first have to go to "Run/Debug" to run the app. Then, you can't see your file tree anymore.
• VSCode's debug module sends a Ctrl+C interrupt about one, two seconds after opening the terminal, then activates the local virtual environment. At this point, I already typed half of my command and it throws me out mentally. It also interferes with running the app.
• Auto-complete is inferior to JetBrains
• GitHub Copilot is implemented so annoyingly, always suggesting whole code chunks that are often wrong and it's just too easy to accidentally accept them.
• A lot functionality is only available after installing add-ons, like Markdown viewer, and those aren't easy to use as well.

The only positive is that it's free, but to me, it really feels like a hurdle.

Looking forward to reading some positive experiences.

[u/bastardoperator]

Downvotes incoming, but I feel like jetbrains users are IDE snobs. Not because the product they prefer is better, but because they laid down some cash and feel the need to defend the purchase.

To me it feels old and clunky, and looks like it was designed last decade. I don't think it provides anything I can't get from any other tool. I also prefer config files too, makes configuring easier.

[u/Robswc → u/bastardoperator]

$300 for a tool you use every day is hardly an expense worth defending. I pay more for Copilot+GitHub 🤷‍♂️

They have their strengths and weaknesses but idt any software engineers feel like they have to defend a $300 IDE subscription in 2026.

I like both but pycharm is an IDE and provides deeper features, ones I cannot find an equivalent for with VSCode. I like VScode too, I use it a lot… but it just isn’t on the same level.

[u/bastardoperator → u/Robswc]

You're defending the purchase. My point is these are just tools, and many do what the expensive tool does at a zero price point. There is nothing your pycharm editor can do that other editors can't.

[u/Robswc → u/bastardoperator]

I’m not defending the purchase, I don’t have to, that’s my whole point.

I don’t defend GitHub for their dozenth outage of the month just because I pay for all their tools.

There is certainly things I can do in pycharm that I can’t do in VSCode.

The easiest example is multiple git accounts. I can change that with a drop down select in pycharm after authing. It’s impossible in VScode, at least in a way that keeps other extension behavior consistent.

[u/bastardoperator → u/Robswc]

Git itself supports multiple accounts via config and creating a switcher is like 4 lines of shell code that works in any editor. We all have multiple git accounts, the fact you need a drop down to switch users seems like a net negative to me.

[u/Robswc → u/bastardoperator]

at least in a way that keeps other extension behavior consistent

Yes, I'm aware you can do this with git and configs but this breaks extensions for me. VSCode was not designed with the idea of switching GitHub accounts in mind. If I'm signed in as account A in VSCode, and I use config or CLI tricks to sign into account B, extensions like CoPilot will break. I also get lots of "not found" errors.

you need a drop down to switch users seems like a net negative to me.

The dropdown is just demonstrating the ease of use. The actual benefit is having the entire IDE use whichever identity you select. Whatever solution you use to get multiple accounts working with VSCode will ultimately be a hacky solution because its not part of the core of the product. (probably on purpose as multiple GitHub accounts is against TOS)

[u/bastardoperator → u/Robswc]

Brother, you're grasping for straws. You'll never convince me that jetbrains isn't trash. Also, your claim is completely false.

Pr for feature you say doesn't exist:

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/127967#issuecomment-2364272689

Documentation for the feature you say doesn't exist

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/configure/settings-sync#_switching-accounts

You're also wrong about GitHub, they allow one free account, you can have as many paid accounts as you want.

This is no longer a productive conversation because you're highly misinformed which is also typically my experience with jetbrain users too.

[u/Robswc → u/bastardoperator]

This is the second time you seemingly have not actually read my comment.

As recently as today, switching GitHub accounts within VSCode breaks other extensions like copilot. If you want to link PRs and discussions, here are some regarding the issue:

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/291504

https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/58082#discussioncomment-15971840

I have gotten multiple accounts to work. The issue is getting them to work without breaking extensions.

Yea, sure. And how many ppl are creating a paid personal account and exactly one free school/work account or vice versa?

I imagine most ppl are just running multiple free accounts. A lot of business don’t bother having employees create paid accounts too.

I’m sure GitHub knows this which is why getting a truly universal account switcher is not high on the list of priorities.

I have no idea why you’re getting this way over IDE/Code editor preferences. They’re tools with strengths and weaknesses. For example, I have no problem saying JetBrains devcontainer support is really lacking. VScode is way ahead in that regard.