Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code (VS Code) 1.96, the latest version of its popular code editor, which brings several significant features and improvements to the table. The November 2024 release, also known as VS Code 1.96, is now available for download on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

One of the most notable additions is the overtype mode, which allows users to overwrite text in the editor instead of inserting it when typing. This feature is particularly useful when editing Markdown tables, where maintaining table cell boundaries is crucial. Users can toggle the overtype mode via the command View: Toggle Overtype/Insert Mode.

Another significant feature is the "paste with imports" capability, which automatically adds imports for pasted code when copying and pasting code between JavaScript or TypeScript. By default, copy and paste will insert only the pasted text, but if a "paste with imports" edit is available, the paste control will make it available for selection.

In addition to these features, VS Code 1.96 finalizes an API that enables extensions to provide coverage on a per-test basis, allowing developers to see exactly what code any given test actually executed. This feature is expected to improve the testing experience for developers.

GitHub Copilot, a popular AI-powered code editing tool, has also received enhancements in VS Code 1.96. A new copilot-debug terminal command helps developers start a debugging session with GitHub Copilot in VS Code. Furthermore, GitHub Copilot's debugging capabilities, including copilot-debug and the /startDebugging intent, now generate preLaunchTasks for code that needs a compilation step before debugging.

Other notable improvements in VS Code 1.96 include the ability to move views between the Primary Side Bar, Secondary Side Bar, or Panel area using the Move To context menu action on a view container. Font ligatures are now supported in the terminal, regardless of whether GPU acceleration is being used. Developers can also control which extensions can be installed in VS Code using the extensions.allowed setting, which allows for specifying allowed or blocked extensions by publisher, specific extensions, and versions.

Lastly, JavaScript and TypeScript support in VS Code 1.96 now uses TypeScript 5.7, ensuring that developers have access to the latest features and improvements in these programming languages.

The release of VS Code 1.96 follows the October 29 release of VS Code 1.95, which introduced AI-powered code editing with GitHub Copilot. Since then, three point release updates have addressed various bugs, demonstrating Microsoft's commitment to continually improving the VS Code experience.

With VS Code 1.96, Microsoft has once again demonstrated its dedication to providing developers with a robust, feature-rich code editor that streamlines their workflow and enhances productivity. As the code editor continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these new features and improvements impact the development community.