Visual Studio Code 1.94 Released: Significant Speed Improvements on Startup

Microsoft has announced the latest release of Visual Studio Code, specifically the September 2024 release, also referred to as version 1.94. This update introduces a variety of enhancements, most notably significant startup performance improvements due to the transition to the ECMAScript module (ESM) format.

Below is the complete list of changes included in this update:

• Find in Explorer – An enhanced Find control for quickly locating files in the Explorer view.
• Source Control Graph – Increased filtering options and interactivity within the Source Control Graph.
• Python test coverage – Execute Python tests with coverage metrics, yielding comprehensive results directly in the editor.
• ESM – Accelerated startup times for VS Code resulting from the ESM migration.
• Account preference – A feature to designate which account to utilize for an extension.
• Copilot in Native REPL – Introduces code completions and Inline Chat functionality in the Native REPL environment.
• Improved chat context – Enables users to drag & drop files or utilize IntelliSense for enhanced chat context relevance.
• Test environment setup – Assistance in configuring a test framework tailored to your workspace.

Following our previous update, which highlighted major AI enhancements, version 1.94 continues to elevate the GitHub Copilot experience.

This version allows users to attach additional files as context for chat prompts by simply dragging files or editor tabs from the workbench into the chat interface. This functionality is particularly useful for addressing specific queries related to project files, providing Copilot with the necessary contextual information to respond more effectively.

Furthermore, there’s an improvement for Copilot concerning the read-eval-print-loop (REPL) editor. This REPL editor, which is part of the Python extension in Visual Studio Code, now supports both Copilot Inline Chat and code completions directly within the input field.

If you’re looking to download this update, you can find it on the Visual Studio Code website. For those who already have Visual Studio Code installed, keep an eye out for notifications regarding the update.

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