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Step 10: IDE Setup (Final Step)

Time: 3 minutes
Purpose: Install and configure your development environment

Visual Studio Code is the recommended IDE for company development due to its excellent language support, extensions ecosystem, and team consistency.

Installation​

Installation: Follow the official guide at code.visualstudio.com/download

PlatformInstallation MethodOfficial Documentation
macOSHomebrew or Direct Downloadcode.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/mac
WindowsChocolatey or Direct Downloadcode.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/windows
LinuxPackage Manager or Snapcode.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/linux

Quick Install Commands​

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask visual-studio-code

# Windows (Chocolatey - PowerShell 7 as Administrator)
choco install vscode -y

# Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo snap install code --classic
# Alternative: See official Linux installation guide for APT setup

Direct Downloads​

VS Code: All platforms at code.visualstudio.com/download

Essential Extensions​

Install these extensions for optimal development experience:

Core Development Extensions​

# Language Support
code --install-extension ms-vscode.vscode-typescript-next  # TypeScript
code --install-extension ms-python.python                  # Python
code --install-extension redhat.java                       # Java
code --install-extension rust-lang.rust-analyzer           # Rust
code --install-extension ms-dotnettools.csharp            # C#/.NET

# Code Quality
code --install-extension esbenp.prettier-vscode           # Code formatter
code --install-extension ms-vscode.vscode-eslint         # JavaScript linting
code --install-extension bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss       # Tailwind CSS

# Git & Version Control
code --install-extension eamodio.gitlens                 # Enhanced Git support
code --install-extension github.vscode-pull-request-github # GitHub integration

# Productivity
code --install-extension ms-vscode.vscode-json           # JSON support
code --install-extension redhat.vscode-yaml              # YAML support
code --install-extension ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh     # Remote development

Company-Specific Extensions (If Available)​

# Install company-specific extensions if available
code --install-extension company.internal-tools
code --install-extension company.code-standards

Alternative: Install via Extension Marketplace​

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search and install:
    • Language specific: Based on your primary development languages
    • Prettier: Code formatting
    • GitLens: Enhanced Git capabilities
    • Remote Development: For container/remote work
    • Company extensions: If available in marketplace

VS Code Configuration​

User Settings​

Create or edit ~/.vscode/settings.json (macOS/Linux) or %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json (Windows):

{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "source.organizeImports": true,
    "source.fixAll.eslint": true
  },
  "editor.rulers": [80, 120],
  "editor.tabSize": 2,
  "editor.insertSpaces": true,
  "files.trimTrailingWhitespace": true,
  "files.insertFinalNewline": true,
  "git.autofetch": true,
  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.osx": "zsh",
  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "PowerShell"
}

Workspace Settings (Per Project)​

For company projects, create .vscode/settings.json in project root:

{
  "java.home": "/path/to/java17",
  "maven.executable.path": "/path/to/maven/bin/mvn",
  "eslint.workingDirectories": ["frontend", "backend"],
  "typescript.preferences.includePackageJsonAutoImports": "auto"
}

Alternative IDEs​

While VS Code is recommended, you may prefer:

JetBrains IDEs​

  • IntelliJ IDEA: Java development
  • WebStorm: JavaScript/TypeScript
  • PyCharm: Python development
  • Rider: .NET development

Other Options​

  • Eclipse: Java development (enterprise environments)
  • Vim/Neovim: Lightweight, keyboard-driven
  • Emacs: Highly customizable
  • Sublime Text: Fast, lightweight

Verification​

# Check VS Code installation
code --version

# Verify extensions are installed
code --list-extensions

# Test VS Code functionality
mkdir ~/test-workspace
cd ~/test-workspace
echo 'console.log("Hello, VS Code!");' > test.js
code .  # Should open VS Code with the test file

Quick Configuration Test​

  1. Open VS Code: code . in any directory
  2. Create test file: New file with .js, .py, or .java extension
  3. Write code: Should have syntax highlighting and autocomplete
  4. Format code: Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+I (macOS)
  5. Open terminal: Ctrl+` or View → Terminal
  6. Git integration: Should show Git status if in a Git repository

Setup Complete!​

Congratulations! Your development environment is now fully configured with:

  • Package managers for easy tool installation
  • Git for version control
  • System libraries and build tools
  • Java 17 for Java development
  • Docker for containerization
  • Company artifact access (required)
  • Platform CLI for company tools (required)
  • Project templates for new projects (required)
  • Kubernetes tools (optional)
  • IDE with essential extensions

Next Steps​

Start Your First Project​

# Create a new project from company template
archetect render git@github.com:p6m-archetypes/java-spring-boot-grpc-service.archetype.git my-first-service
cd my-first-service
code .  # Open in VS Code

Explore Company Resources​

Language-Specific Setup​

Continue with language-specific configurations:

Troubleshooting​

VS Code won't start​

  1. Restart terminal after installation
  2. Check PATH: Ensure VS Code is in your system PATH
  3. Permissions: On Linux, try sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/code

Extensions fail to install​

  1. Network: Check internet connection
  2. Proxy: Configure proxy settings if behind corporate firewall
  3. Permissions: Ensure you have write access to VS Code extensions directory

Company extensions not available​

  1. Marketplace: Check if company has private extension marketplace
  2. VSIX files: Company may distribute extensions as .vsix files
  3. Contact IT: Ask about company-specific development tools

Performance issues​

  1. Disable unused extensions: Remove extensions you don't use
  2. Increase memory: For large projects, increase VS Code memory limit
  3. Exclude directories: Add node_modules, target, etc. to .gitignore

Need help? Your development environment is ready, but if you encounter issues:

  • Check company developer documentation
  • Ask in developer Slack channels
  • Contact the DevOps team for tool-specific issues
  • Contact IT for access/permission issues