I made a post similar to this a couple of years ago (wow, it's already been that long 😢).
It's now 2026, and that article is a bit outdated, so I figured it was time to make an updated list. Here goes!
Please note: This updated list may contain duplicate items from the 2024 edition. This is intentional - it just means that I still think those extensions are the best!
1. Roo Code
ext install RooVeterinaryInc.roo-cline
Roo Code takes #1 this year. I had an awesome experience with it. Here's some of the key features:
- Roo Code Cloud with PR reviews, remote task creation, and more
- Bring your own API key from any of multiple supported providers, including OpenRouter
- Built-in advanced context management
- Codebase indexing
Roo Code runs right in your IDE where you do your coding, so if you're a developer who likes to use AI a lot, this is a great pick.
2. Peacock
ext install johnpapa.vscode-peacock
Super useful if you have lots of VS Code windows in a workspace open at once like I do. Peacock lets you color-code each window, that way you can identify them quickly. This might seem like a really small UI thing but it's actually been really useful for me, you should give it a try!
3. Console Ninja
ext install WallabyJs.console-ninja
Console Ninja lets you view logs from an application you're running right inside your IDE. Let's say you have a Vite application with some console.log statements. Console Ninja lets you see the logs from your application directly in your IDE, next to the log statement in your code! This is SUPER useful for debugging.
This is also useful for debugging with your AI tools, since you can easily pass context from the console to your tools.
4. WakaTime
ext install WakaTime.vscode-wakatime
WakaTime is a super cool website / extension that keeps track of the time you spend programming. It provides insights about the languages you spend the most time on, your coding trends, set goals, and more!
You can easily find your dashboard and see your current time from in the VS Code Status Bar.
5. Code Spell Checker
ext install streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker
This extension is a must-have for me! I'm pretty picky (most of the time) about my spelling. This extension will highlight your spelling errors (that might be a nightmare for some of you…) and show possible correct spellings in the 'Quick Fix' menu.
If you're a fan of impeccable spelling, be sure to give this extension a try!
6. Thunder Client
ext install rangav.vscode-thunder-client
Thunder Client is like Postman but designed to run natively inside your IDE. It lets you send test API requests, manage API collections, sync your requests with git, and more. It also has AI integration via its MCP server, so you can easily connect your AI agent with Thunder Client.
7. Better Comments
ext install aaron-bond.better-comments
The better comments extension makes it easy to tell what each of your comments are for.
You can use these rules, or even add your own in settings:
!: Alert
?: Query
TODO: TODO (duh…)
*: Important
//: Strike-through
I tried it out in JavaScript to see how it worked:
Here's an example comment config in the extension settings:
{
"tag": "!",
"color": "#FF2D00",
"strikethrough": false,
"underline": false,
"backgroundColor": "transparent",
"bold": false,
"italic": false
}
I made my own for underlining comments using the _ indicator. Here's how it turned out:
My rather, er, beauty deprived custom comment style
Note: If you change the extension settings, you may need to reload the window (CTRL + SHIFT + P > Developer: Reload Window) for the changes to apply.
This is honestly one of the most useful ones for me, excluding AI extensions.
That's it, guys! Hopefully you found this article interesting and useful. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Every part of this article is hand-written, no AI used! I might have made a few mistakes. If you find any, point them out to me in the comments! Article by BestCodes.