Why VS Code Modular is Important

Whether you’re a casual developer, or a PowerShell aficionado you have likely been using Microsoft’s VS Code IDE IDE for some time. You have undoubtedly got your VS Code all set up with the extensions and settings that allow you to be productive. Everything is perfect. You have the right colors and the right text. You will be fine until that day comes. Your workstation must be replaced.
It could be due to a hardware failure, an OS re-image or a hardware refresh. You don’t want to have to reinstall and configure VS Code after everything is done. There is a way to not only start from scratch, but also make it so that you can move around the program easily in the future. Let’s talk about how to make VS Code portable.
What does it mean to be portable?
It is easy to understand that an application should be portable. Traditional software installation on Windows PCs involves creating a folder in the Program Files folder or Program Files (x86). This folder contains all of the application’s files, configurations, settings, and other information. It also means that items are written in both the registry and the user’s local profile. It will then be listed under the Programs and Features section of the Control Panel, where we can remove it or reinstall it.
All files required for the application are kept in one folder by a portable app. Nothing is stored in the registry. The user profile contains no information that could be used to move or change the source folder. It is easy to move the application to a USB flash or external hard drive, as well as to a cloud storage location. This is especially useful for IT support personnel who have a virtual toolbox that includes applications for testing, analyzing, or troubleshooting. To maximize efficiency, all the apps and their settings are available on the go.
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As I said at the beginning, all is well until your computer crashes, is stolen, or is lost. You might be getting a new laptop, but the thought of reinstalling everything takes some of the joy out of it. Because you’ll remember how much work you put into making everything just right for your workflow. This is the path almost every sysadmin has traveled.
A portable version of VS Code is a great way to have your PowerShell IDE available wherever you are. This has a growing ROI in today’s mobile world. COVID-19 has led to many people working remotely. This has forced some sysadmins to rethink their work methods. You may have the perfect setup on your laptop but it can be a hassle to run scripts over your corporate VPN from home. To be efficient, you will need the same setup on a machine within your corporate datacenter.
VS Code is portable because it’s supported and maintained by Microsoft. This is not a MacGyver hack. It sometimes works, and sometimes it doesn’t. You can easily move almost all of the extensions. This allows you to pick up your PowerShell hub and move it to wherever you need.
Start with Portable
It is very simple to make VS Code portable. Go to the download page of VS Code to grab the.zip file for your OS/architecture. Drop the contents of the folder into a location you prefer it to live. You can also change the name of the folder if you wish.
To make it portable, create a folder called ‘Data’ in the root of the extracted folder. This folder will contain all the settings.