VS Codium The Open Source Alternative To Visual Studio Code

VSCodium: The Open Source Alternative to Visual Studio Code

If you're a fan of Visual Studio Code but have concerns about Microsoft's telemetry and proprietary elements, there's a compelling alternative you might not know about: VSCodium. This open-source project provides all the functionality of VS Code without the Microsoft-specific additions that some developers prefer to avoid.

The Visual Studio Code Paradox

Visual Studio Code has become one of the most popular code editors in the development community, and for good reason. It's feature-rich, extensible, and performs well across different platforms. However, there's an important distinction that many users don't realize: while Visual Studio Code is built on open-source foundations, the version you download from Microsoft's official website isn't entirely open source.

When Microsoft acquired GitHub, they found themselves managing two open-source editors (Atom and VS Code), and Visual Studio Code ultimately became their primary focus. While the core VS Code project is open source and available on GitHub under the MIT license, the binary distribution from Microsoft includes several proprietary elements:

- Built-in telemetry and tracking

- Proprietary licensing terms

- Microsoft's own marketplace extensions

- Additional Microsoft-specific features

 Enter VSCodium: Pure Open Source

VSCodium solves this dilemma by providing completely open-source binaries of Visual Studio Code. Think of it as a build server that takes the pure, open-source VS Code from GitHub and compiles it without any of Microsoft's proprietary additions.

The project maintains perfect synchronization with VS Code releases, so you're always getting the latest features and security updates. At the time of writing, VSCodium was current with VS Code version 1.68, typically staying within just a few days of the official releases.

Key Differences and Benefits

 What's Removed

- All telemetry and tracking (completely disabled, not just opt-out)

- Microsoft's proprietary licensing terms

- Microsoft-specific marketplace integrations

- Default Microsoft extensions

What You Gain

- 100% open-source code editor

- Identical functionality to VS Code

- Clean installation without bloatware extensions

- Peace of mind regarding data privacy

 Installation Options

VSCodium supports virtually every platform you can think of, with multiple installation methods:

**macOS**: `brew install vscodium`

**Windows**: Available via WinGet or direct download

**Linux**: Multiple options including apt, snap, and package managers

Instead of running `code` from the command line, you'll use `codium` to launch the editor.

 The Extension Ecosystem Challenge

The most significant consideration when switching to VSCodium involves extensions. Since it can't use Microsoft's proprietary marketplace, VSCodium relies on the Open VSX Registry (openvsx.org) for extensions.

?What This Means:

- Many popular extensions are available on Open VSX

- Commercial or paid extensions are not included

- Some Microsoft-specific extensions may be missing

- You can manually install extensions via .vsix files if needed

Before making the switch, it's worth checking that your essential extensions are available on Open VSX. For extensions that aren't available through the registry, you can:

1. Download and manually install .vsix files

2. Copy extensions from an existing VS Code installation

3. Request that extension developers publish to Open VSX

Keep in mind that manually installed extensions may not receive automatic updates.

 Who Should Consider VSCodium?

VSCodium is ideal for developers who:

- Want to avoid Microsoft's telemetry and data collection

- Prefer fully open-source development tools

- Don't rely heavily on Microsoft-specific or commercial extensions

- Value privacy and transparency in their development environment

Making the Comparison

The relationship between VS Code and VSCodium is similar to Chrome and Chromium browsers. Just as Chromium provides the open-source foundation for Chrome without Google's proprietary additions, VSCodium offers VS Code's functionality without Microsoft's proprietary elements.

 Potential Limitations

Be aware that some Microsoft-specific tools and services may not work with VSCodium due to restrictive licensing. The project documentation provides workarounds for common issues, but there may be some workflows that work seamlessly in VS Code but require additional setup in VSCodium.

(Bloggers Note - Code your own tools. Don't know where to look start here: http://theresanaiforthat.com)

The Bottom Line

VSCodium represents an excellent compromise for developers who appreciate Visual Studio Code's capabilities but prefer to avoid Microsoft's ecosystem. It maintains feature parity with VS Code while providing complete transparency and privacy.

Whether you choose VS Code or VSCodium ultimately depends on your priorities. If telemetry concerns and open-source principles are important to you, VSCodium delivers the same great editing experience without compromise. For users who rely heavily on Microsoft-specific features or commercial extensions, the official VS Code might remain the better choice.

The beauty of having options like VSCodium is that developers can choose the tool that best aligns with their values and requirements while still enjoying one of the best code editing experiences available today.

Link - https://vscodium.com/

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