This post contains some of my favorite tips and tricks for working with VSCode. For even more, I recommend VSCode’s own tips and tricks page.

I try to keep this post up-to-date, so the information should be compatible with recent versions of VSCode. For example, a lot of Python tools switched to extensions in 2022, and I have updated this page to reflect that.

Table of Contents

• Basics
  • Command Palette
  • Search by Filename
• Hot Keys
  • Autoformat
  • Clean up imports
  • Snippets
  • Jupyter
• Customizations
• Settings
  • Applying Settings to a Single Language
• Other
  • Key bindings
• Extensions
  • Terminal
  • Debugging
  • Code Completion
• Workspace file
  • Workspace File
• launch.json
  • Location
  • Relative paths (cwd)
  • Running a module or a program
  • Debugging subprocesses
• Troubleshooting Python Interpreter Issues
  • Testing
  • Other
• Connecting to Remote Instances
• .env files
• Troubleshooting Environmental Variables
• Syncing Across Desktops

Basics

Command Palette

One of the most important things you’ll need to do in VSCode is to open the command palette. From there you can access all sorts of settings:

• Open the Command Palette: CMD/CTRL + SHIFT + P
  • You can also jump to the settings or Command Palette by clicking on the settings wheel in the bottom left corner.

Search by Filename

You can do CMD/CTRL + P to open up search.

• Just add > to the bar to make it the command palette.

Hot Keys

Autoformat

• Windows/Linux: Alt + Shift + F
• Mac: Option + Shift + F

Clean up imports

• Windows/Linux: Alt + Shift + O
• Mac: Option + Shift + O

Snippets

Control + Spacebar to open snippets This makes it easy to do things like type main and get if __name__ == '__main__':

Jupyter

Shift + enter to run through Python interactive console

Customizations

See my previous post for my recommended VSCode customizations.

Settings

• You can use either the User Interface (Preferences: Open Settings (UI)) or edit the JSON directly Preferences: Open Settings (JSON).

User settings are not stored in the project. Instead, they are at:

• Windows: C:\Users\Julius\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json
• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json

If you’re having trouble with your Python interpreter, you can try setting "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/Users/julius/opt/anaconda3/envs/my_env/bin/python",

Applying Settings to a Single Language

You can specify that you only want some settings to apply to a single language like so:

    "[python]": {
        "editor.formatOnSave": true,
        "editor.formatOnPaste": false,
        "editor.tabSize": 4,
        "editor.defaultFormatter": "ms-python.python"
    },

Other

Key bindings

Ctrl + k to open key bindings. From there many things are just one button, such as z for zen mode. Double tap “Esc” to escape.

If you just hit control + k it brings up a list of key bindings, which you can customize.

Extensions

You can manage your extensions by clicking on the gear logo next to the extension.

This is where you can add specific details to your extensions.

Terminal

There is a built-in terminal in VSCode. You can pull it up with control + '`', on either mac or windows. You can also pull it up from dragging up from the bottom of the screen.

Debugging

To do multi-line debugging, all you have to do is hold down shift before you hit return.

Code Completion

Control + Space to pull it up manually

Workspace file

If you keep all your repos in a single folder like I do, I recommend putting your workspace file there (I call mine workspace.code-workspace). That way all the folders and paths are straightforward. Sometimes it will by default put them in /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Code/Workspaces/<some_number>/workspace.json. I don’t use them there.

Workspace File

You can include all your folders like this:

"folders": [
        {
            "path": "my_repo"
        },
        {
            "path": "my_monorepo/python_package_a"
        },
        {
            "path": "my_monorepo/python_package_b"
        },

    ],

You can also optionally include "name" if you want to change any of the names.

launch.json

In the launch.json file, you can either use full paths or relative paths:

"program": "/full/path/to/python_trainer.py",

or

"program": "${file}",

Writing launch.json files is very useful. It makes it easy to run files in different configurations, such as passing different arguments. Here’s the default starting place:

{
    "name": "Python: Current File",
    "type": "python",
    "request": "launch",
    "program": "${file}",
    "console": "integratedTerminal"
},

Here’s an example with arguments:

{
   "name": "Python: Run New  Config",
   "type": "python",
   "request": "launch",
   "program": "/full/path/to/file.py",
   "console": "internalConsole",
   "justMyCode": false,
   "args": [
       "--config",
       "my_config",
       "--num_gpus",
       "2",

   ]
},

One thing I common use is justMyCode.

• defaults to true
• restricts debugging to only the user-written code

You can also set environmental variables like so: It might look like this:

        {
            "name": "Python: My Module",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "module": "my_module",
            "justMyCode": true,
            "args": ["my_arg"],
            "env": {"PYTORCH_ENABLE_MPS_FALLBACK": "1"} # Add the env here
        }

You can also set your Python interpreter specifically for that run. You need something like the following:

• "python": "/home/julius/miniconda3/envs/my_env/bin/python",

Location

launch.json files can be stored in different locations. Sometimes you might have one in git/my_repo/.vscode/launch.json. I generally try to avoid this. Instead of one for each repo, I would put them all in git/.vscode/launch.json.

Relative paths (cwd)

Part of your command will include a reference from where to start from. One way to do that is by using cwd.

• "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}" - start from the workplace folder
  • In a multi folder workspace, you’ll need to identify the folder as well. It will look something like "${workspaceFolder:my_repo}"
• "cwd": "${fileDirname}" - start from the directory of the current file. This will change depending which file you want to have open, so I only recommend using it when you’re running the current file (so you’ll have "program": "${file}", as well)
• Note that you don’t always need to include cwd. For example, you don’t need it when running a module.

Running a module or a program

In the launch.json file, you can choose to run either a "module" or a "program".

Debugging subprocesses

You can also debug subprocess in VSCode. All you need to do is add "subProcess": true, to your launch.json.

Troubleshooting Python Interpreter Issues

Sometimes you have problems where Pylint seems to be using a different interpreter. Even if you select the correct interpreter and do it at the workspace level. I don’t know what causes this, but here is how to fix it:

It could be caused by having something in

"pylint.interpreter": ["/Users/julius/opt/anaconda3/envs/all2/bin/python"],

Testing

Sometimes the Discover Tests functionality fails, often for path issues. Remember, even if it fails you can always runs tests by doing python -m pytest my_tests

if discover tests fails, go to the terminal  - click on the output tab - and change it to Python Test Log

Other

If your linter can’t see it but you can run the file

maybe it’s a path that only works because of your .env file

Your linter doesn’t use that. So when you run it, it will run, but not for pytest or your linter… try to fix your linter by exporting the environment variables you want

The VSCode workspace setting python.pythonPath is not to be confused with the environment variable $PYTHONPATH. python.pythonPath is the path to the Python interpreter used for debugging or running the code, while $PYTHONPATH is the environment variable which python uses to search for modules. There are two different things going on here: Where the computer looks for the python interpreter - python.pythonPath

And where that interpreter looks for packages - $PYTHONPATH

Connecting to Remote Instances

I wrote a guide on how to connect to remote instances. I recommend storing your config file at ~/.ssh/config

.env files

You can make .env files to set environment variables. Go at top of directory. Can add environment variables, python path, etc.

Troubleshooting Environmental Variables

Sometimes environmental variables won’t show up in VSCode. I’ve found that this can sometimes happen when VSCode is launched from the application icon. If this is happening, you can open VSCode directly from the terminal with code . and it should have your environmental variables. If you still don’t see them, make sure they are present in your terminal.

Syncing Across Desktops

Here’s what I recommend keeping in sync between machines: