VSCodium

VSCodium uses specific server components for remote and web-based access:

• Remote Host (reh): This is the server component used for remote SSH or WSL connections. It runs on a remote computer and makes that machine accessible via VSCodium.
• Web Host (reh-web): This is the server component used by the codium serve-web command. It runs locally and makes VSCodium accessible through a web browser.

Because of the Visual Studio Marketplace Terms of Use, VSCodium does not use the Microsoft Marketplace. Instead, it uses open-vsx.org, an open-source registry for extensions.

Note: Some extensions licensed specifically for official Microsoft Visual Studio Code builds may not work in VSCodium.

Account authentication in VSCodium is not a global process; it is triggered on-demand. An authentication request only occurs when a specific extension explicitly requests it.

Note that some extensions, such as GitLens (version 12 non-plus and later), have been updated to avoid requesting new authentication credentials.

VSCodium is a community-driven, freely licensed binary distribution of Microsoft's editor VS Code. While the core experience is identical, note the following differences:

• Extension Marketplace: VSCodium uses Open VSX by default instead of the Microsoft Visual Studio Marketplace.
• Telemetry & Branding: VSCodium removes Microsoft telemetry and branding.
• Proprietary Features: Some proprietary Microsoft features may not be available in the VSCodium distribution.

VSCodium provides comprehensive guides for new users to set up their environment. Key topics include:

• Installation: Steps to install VSCodium on your specific operating system.
• First Steps & Basic Usage: Navigating the interface and core editor features.
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Customizing or learning the default keybindings.
• Next Steps: Advanced configuration and optimization.

VSCodium uses the Open VSX Registry by default instead of the Microsoft Visual Studio Marketplace. You can:

• Use the Open VSX Marketplace: The default way to discover and install extensions.
• Switch to a different extension gallery: Instructions for pointing VSCodium to a different marketplace.
• Self-host an extension gallery: How to set up your own private extension repository.
• Use the 'VSIX Manager' Extension: Installing extensions manually via .vsix files.
• Check Extension Compatibility: Understanding which extensions work with VSCodium.
• Handle Proprietary Tools: Guidance on using proprietary debugging tools and extensions that may have licensing restrictions.

VSCodium is designed to be telemetry-free. Documentation is available for:

• Telemetry in VSCodium: Understanding how telemetry is handled and removed.
• Replacements to Microsoft Online Services: Information on how VSCodium replaces proprietary Microsoft services to maintain privacy.
• Checking for Telemetry: Methods to verify that no telemetry is being sent.
• Additional Privacy Settings: Configuring further privacy-related settings.
• Malicious & Deprecated Extensions: Identifying extensions that may compromise privacy or are no longer supported.

To prevent VSCodium from periodically checking for updates via the internet, modify the following preferences:

For the VSCodium application:

• update.mode: Set to manual or none.
• update.enableWindowsBackgroundUpdates: Set to false (Windows only). Note: On Linux, the app update service is disabled at build-time; users are expected to use package managers.

For extensions:

• extensions.autoUpdate: Set to false.
• extensions.autoCheckUpdates: Set to false.

{
  "update.mode": "manual",
  "update.enableWindowsBackgroundUpdates": false,
  "extensions.autoUpdate": false,
  "extensions.autoCheckUpdates": false
}

VSCodium can be installed on Windows using several different package managers. Choose the one you have configured on your system.

:: WinGet (stable)
winget install -e --id VSCodium.VSCodium

:: WinGet (insider)
winget install -e --id VSCodium.VSCodium.Insiders

:: Chocolatey (stable)
choco install vscodium

:: Chocolatey (insider)
choco install vscodium-insiders

:: Scoop
scoop bucket add extras
scoop install vscodium

VSCodium is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. To download the appropriate installer for your operating system, visit the official download page.

https://vscodium.com/#install