visual studio code vs visual studio code user

Visual studio code vs visual studio code user how to#
Visual studio code vs visual studio code user code#

If you don't know a language or framework very well, implementing a slew of snippets for that language or framework is likely to be a premature move.

Visual studio code vs visual studio code user code#

Snippets are an optimization of code production. I think this is relevant to snippets also. I can't imagine there being any resource of perfectly clean code snippets.ĭonald Knuth, one of the grand-wizards of computer science, said 'premature optimization is the root of all evil'. I've not once been able to find a numerical algorithm that didn't have floating point errors in it. Most, if not all, snippets I've seen online, for code I'm looking for, have mistakes in them.For trivial stuff that I understand, it is OK, but I don't want to forget some other stuff!

Visual studio code vs visual studio code user how to#

I found that at some point I forgot how to write the code without using the snippet.

I prefer to invest time in avoiding repetition rather than making it easier.

I refrain from using them, mostly because I don't like being reliant on any given tool.

Well-written snippets offer a logical path which you can tab through, stopping to edit along the way to complete the template exactly the way you want, and when you are done, you arrive on the other side ready to write your next line

Integrating snippets into your workflow implicitly encourages you to use the mouse less often.

Snippets can help you to remember to include something important!.

Snippets leaves me with more mental CPU and enjoyment to spend on writing the code that I care about and want to focus on.

Snippets can boost your productivity, saving you keystrokes and reducing input errors.

I suggest you adopt them to a degree that serves you best. You don't have to pick a camp and be all-for or all-against snippets. I'm not going to shock you with this statement: the internet is home to a lot conflicting opinions! Snippets do not escape this ignominy, but I don't think it is a topic that make people's blood pressure soar!įor the sake of balance, I will present a cross-section of those opinions here.

The general idea is to save you typing out the same things completely again and again, and again. With snippets, you can create a boilerplate file, and insert commonly used blocks of text.

It is inserted by a command or through some trigger text. ? DefinitionĪ snippet is a template that can be inserted into a document. I will briefly cover how you can utilise these apps to get even more out of snippets. The code editor I will use to showcase snippets is Visual Studio Code (VS Code), the most popular editor of the day.Īlso, there are some 'text expander' apps that allow you to use snippets globally (across all apps). Most code editors support snippets out of the box. Utter a short phrase (type a prefix), wave your wand (press Enter or Tab), and presto! A wonderful event unfolds in front of you. Snippets can add a touch of magic to your editor.