C# Dev Kit is a Visual Studio Code extension made by Microsoft that adds full C# support to the editor. Without it, VS Code has no understanding of C#. With it, you get the tools you need to write, run, and debug C# programs.
Installing C# Dev Kit gives VS Code three things it doesn’t have by default for C#:
- Intelligent autocomplete: As you type, VS Code suggests completions based on the C# language and the code in the project. It shows available methods, properties, and variables so you don’t have to remember everything.
- Real-time error detection: Mistakes are underlined as you type, before you run anything. A red underline means a compile error. A yellow underline means a warning. Catching these early saves a lot of time.
- Solution Explorer: A panel that shows the project structure in terms of solutions and projects, matching how .NET organises code. It sits alongside the regular file Explorer and gives a cleaner view of larger projects.
⚠️ Mistakes
Thinking C# Dev Kit is C#
C# Dev Kit is a tool that helps you write C#. It is not the language itself. The actual C# compiler and runtime come from the .NET SDK, which is a separate install. If the .NET SDK isn’t installed, C# Dev Kit will report errors and the programs won’t run, no matter how correctly they are written.
Installing C# Dev Kit but not the .NET SDK
VS Code will look healthy. The extension is installed, the editor opens, but nothing will compile. Errors like dotnet: command not found in the terminal mean the .NET SDK is missing. Install it from
dotnet.microsoft.com
(external link) and restart VS Code.
Expecting it to work immediately after install
After installing C# Dev Kit, VS Code may take a minute or two to finish loading the extension and indexing the project. If autocomplete or error detection isn’t working right away, wait a moment and check the status bar at the bottom of the window for any loading indicators before assuming something is wrong.