[EN] Multiply Your Productivity with Visual Studio: Discover Lesser-Known Features!

Salih Cantekin
5 min readApr 20, 2023

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I’ve been using the Visual Studio IDE for software development for a very long time. At this point, I can confidently say that it’s the best IDE in its field. Moreover, it contains numerous features that can significantly increase a developer’s productivity. I want to briefly discuss some of these features. I say briefly because each one could potentially be the subject of dozens of articles. My goal here is to inform you about these features if you’re not already aware of them. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

1. IntelliCode

IntelliCode, with its AI-powered code completion feature, helps you speed up your work even more. IntelliCode learns frequently used code blocks and makes the most suitable suggestions for you.

Shortcut: Ctrl + Space

Reference: IntelliCode

intellicode

2. Peek Definition

Peek Definition is a feature you can use to quickly view the definition of a class, method, or variable. With this feature, you can better understand your code and make necessary changes more quickly.

Shortcut: Alt + F12

Reference: Peek Definition

Peek Definition

3. Roslyn Code Analysis

Visual Studio can increase the quality and security of your code through Roslyn analyzers. These analyzers help you detect potential errors and performance issues in your code.

Installation: You can search for and install Roslyn analyzers in the Extension Manager.

Reference: Roslyn Analysis

Roslyn Code Analysis

4. Custom Code Snippets

Visual Studio offers snippets that allow you to quickly add frequently used code blocks. By creating your own custom snippets, you can write repetitive code faster. This is when you type ‘cw’ and Tabs twice, it completes it to Console.Writeline("");

Access: Tools > Code Snippets Manager

Shortcut: Ctrl + K, Ctrl + X

Reference: Code Snippets

Code Snippet

5. Advanced Search

Thanks to the advanced search features in Visual Studio, you can quickly find specific files, classes, methods, or variables in your project.

Shortcut: Ctrl + T

Reference: Advance Search

Advance Search

6. Vertical Document Tabs

Starting with Visual Studio 2019, the vertical document tabs feature allows you to manage your open documents more neatly and effectively.

Access: Tools > Options > Environment > Tabs and Windows

Reference: Vertical Tabs

Dikey Belge Sekmeleri

7. Conditional Breakpoints

Conditional breakpoints in Visual Studio allow your code to pause when a specific condition is met. This feature makes your debugging process more effective.

Access: After creating a breakpoint, you can create a conditional breakpoint by right-clicking and selecting the “Conditions” option.

Reference: Conditional Breakpoints

Conditional Breakpoints

8. Live Share

Visual Studio Live Share enables you to develop code collaboratively in real time. With this feature, you can work more efficiently with your team and quickly resolve issues.

Installation: You can search for and install the Live Share extension in the Extension Manager.

Reference: Live Share

Live Share

9. CodeLens

CodeLens provides useful information above code elements like classes, methods, and properties. With this information, you can understand the broader context of your code and make necessary changes more quickly.

Access: Tools > Options > Text Editor > All Languages > CodeLens

Reference: CodeLens

CodeLens

10. Refactoring

Visual Studio offers a range of refactoring tools that help you make your code more organized and optimized. With these tools, you can make your code more understandable and managable.

Shortcut: Ctrl + . or Alt + Enter

Reference: Refactoring

Refactoring

11. Toolbox Window

The Toolbox window is a feature that contains ready-to-use code pieces and controls provided by Visual Studio. With this feature, you can quickly add components to your code or project using the drag-and-drop method.

Access: View > Toolbox

Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + X

Reference: Toolbox

ToolBox

12. GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code assistant provided by GitHub and can be used in Visual Studio. A version called Copilot-X is also coming soon. With this feature, you can write code faster and more accurately while also receiving help when learning new languages and libraries.

Installation: You can search for and install the GitHub Copilot extension in the Extension Manager.

Reference: GitHub Copilot

Github Copilot

Those are the features I wanted to mention so far. Not far future, there will probably be new incoming features and I’ll talk about these too. Until then, be safe :)

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