Dev Essentials – Visual Studio (IDE) Extensions

Last updated on 04/07/2025

In this second part of the Dev Essentials series,  I will present some extensions I use in Visual Studio (IDE).

• Dev Essentials – Part I – Software and Tools
• Dev Essentials – Part II – Visual Studio (IDE) Extensions
• Dev Essentials – Part III – Visual Studio Code Extensions
• Dev Essentials – Part IV – JetBrains ReSharper Extensions

Visual Studio is a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) widely used by developers across various platforms. While Visual Studio offers a comprehensive set of features and tools, its extensibility through a rich ecosystem of extensions takes the IDE to new heights. In this article, we will explore a range of Visual Studio IDE extensions that can amplify your productivity, streamline workflows, and bring new capabilities to your development process.

• .NET Upgrade Assistant – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-dotnettools.upgradeassistant
• AWS Toolkit for Visual Studio 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=AmazonWebServices.AWSToolkitforVisualStudio2022
• Code Alignment – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=cpmcgrath.Codealignment
• Code Runner – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=formulahendry.CodeRunner
• CodeMaid VS2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SteveCadwallader.CodeMaidVS2022
• CodeMaintainability – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ognjen-babic.CodeMaintainability2022
• Color Preview – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.ColorPreview
• Comment Remover – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.CommentRemover
• CSharpier – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=csharpier.CSharpier
• Dark Green Theme 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=StephenWhiteDragnilar.DarkGreenTheme2022
• EF Core Power Tools – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ErikEJ.EFCorePowerTools
• File Icons – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.FileIcons
• Fix File Encoding – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SergeyVlasov.FixFileEncoding
• GhostDoc Pro – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sergeb.GhostDoc
• Indent Rainbow – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=chingucoding.IndentRainbow
• ILSpy – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SharpDevelopTeam.ILSpy2022
• JetBrains ReSharper – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=JetBrains.ReSharper
• Npgsql PostgreSQL Integration – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=RojanskyS.NpgsqlPostgreSQLIntegration
• Open in Visual Studio Code – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.OpeninVisualStudioCode
• Output Enhancer – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=NikolayBalakin.Outputenhancer
• Productivity Power Tools 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VisualStudioPlatformTeam.ProductivityPowerPack2022
• Productivity Power Tools Options Page 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VisualStudioPlatformTeam.ProductivityPowerToolsOptionsPage2022
• Rainbow Braces – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.RainbowBraces
• Rest API Client Code Generator – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ChristianResmaHelle.ApiClientCodeGenerator2022
• ResXManager – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TomEnglert.ResXManager
• Run As Admin – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SamirBoulema.RunAsAdmin
• Serilog Analyzer – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Suchiman.SerilogAnalyzer
• Snyk Security – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=snyk-security.snyk-vulnerability-scanner-vs-2022&ssr=false#overview
• Solution Colors – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.SolutionColors
• SonarLint – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SonarSource.SonarLintforVisualStudio2022
• Specflow for Visual Studio 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TechTalkSpecFlowTeam.SpecFlowForVisualStudio2022
• Switch Startup Projects for VS 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vs-publisher-141975.SwitchStartupProjectForVS2022
• Terraform – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.Terraform
• Trailing Whitespace – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.TrailingWhitespace64
• Tweaks 2022 – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.Tweaks2022
• Unit Test Boilerplate Generator – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=RandomEngy.UnitTestBoilerplateGenerator
• Unitverse C# Unit Test Generator – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MattWhitfield.UnitverseVS2022
• Viasfora – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TomasRestrepo.Viasfora
• Visual ChatGPT Studio – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jefferson-pires.VisualChatGPTStudio
• WakaTime – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=WakaTime.WakaTime
• xUnit Code Snippets – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jsakamoto.xUnitCodeSnippets
• xUnit Test Project Template – https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jsakamoto.xUnitTestProjectTemplate