This procedure walks you through installing the C# Dev Kit extension in Visual Studio Code.
🧰 Prerequisites
📋 Steps
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Open Visual Studio Code.
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Open the Extensions panel by clicking the extensions icon in the left sidebar. It looks like four squares.
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In the search box, type
C# Dev Kit. -
Find the extension named C# Dev Kit published by Microsoft, and click Install.
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Wait for the installation to finish. If VS Code shows a Reload prompt, click it.
🎯 Expected Outcome
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Open the Extensions panel.
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Under Installed, you should see the C# Dev Kit extension.
⚠️ Mistakes
Installing the wrong extension
Searching for C# Dev Kit returns several related extensions. The one to install is named exactly C# Dev Kit and published by Microsoft. Check the publisher before clicking Install, as other results add unrelated tools and will not give the C# support you need.
Skipping the .NET SDK step in the walkthrough
The extension provides the editor support, but C# code cannot compile or run without the .NET SDK. Closing the walkthrough before installing the SDK leaves the setup unfinished. If C# Dev Kit later reports errors like dotnet: command not found, reopen the walkthrough from the Command Palette with Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac), type Welcome: Open Walkthrough, and select Get Started with C# Dev Kit.
Expecting it to work the instant it installs
After installing, VS Code takes a minute or two to finish loading the extension and the SDK. If autocomplete or error detection is not working right away, wait a moment and check the status bar at the bottom of the window for loading indicators before assuming something is wrong.