Top 10 VS Code Extensions For Python [2025]

Have you ever found yourself struggling with setting up the perfect development environment for Python in Visual Studio Code? While VS Code is one of the best IDEs for development, it doesn't natively support Python—at least not out of the box. You get great support for JavaScript and TypeScript, but when it comes to Python, you need to install specific extensions to unlock its full potential.

• Have you ever wished for a faster way to debug your Python code directly in your editor?
• Are you tired of manually writing docstrings or fixing indentation issues?
• What if you could have AI-powered code completion to speed up your workflow?

Luckily, VS Code makes it easy to add support for Python, and the right extensions can make your coding experience even better. In this article, we’ll explore some must-have Visual Studio Code extensions that will streamline your Python development, making it faster, smoother, and more efficient.

For those looking to build a strong foundation in Python, consider exploring the Python Foundation course on GeeksforGeeks. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Python and is a valuable resource for honing your programming skills.

Top 10 VS Code Extensions For Python

1. Python

This is the essential VS Code extension for Python, developed by Microsoft itself. While creating a .py file, VS Code will itself suggest installing this extension. It provides features like analyzing code for potential errors, code formatting, debugging through a debug console, testing with the unit test, pytest, and nose test frameworks. Syntax checking, auto-completion, auto-activation, and switching between different environments are also done by this extension. Moreover, it supports Jupyter Notebooks and therefore is considered as the very basic and important Python extension.

Key Features

• Code Analysis & Error Detection: Provides syntax checking, error detection, and code analysis.
• Debugging & Testing Support: Offers integrated debugging with test frameworks like unit and pytest.

2. Pylance

Pylance enhances the Python extension by adding type checking, faster IntelliSense, and better language features.

Key Features

• Fast and feature-rich IntelliSense
• Type checking (using mypy and pyright)
• Type inference and auto-completions

3. autoDocstring - Python Docstring Generator

autoDocstring is a Python extension for Visual Studio Code that streamlines the process of generating docstrings for your Python functions, classes, and modules, adhering to popular documentation standards like Google, NumPy, and Sphinx. After installing the extension via the Extensions view in VS Code, you can generate docstrings by placing your cursor inside the desired function, class, or method, and invoking the "Generate Docstring" command from the command palette. Configuration options allow customization of the docstring format to match your preferred style, ensuring consistency and compliance with documentation standards.

Key Features

• Automatic Docstring Generation: Automatically generates docstrings in formats like Google, NumPy, and Sphinx.
• Customizable Docstring Templates: Offers customizable templates for functions, classes, and modules.

4. Python Snippets

Python Snippets extension is very useful for beginners who are new to this language. It contains built-in snippets for lists, strings, dictionaries, tuple, class, etc with at least one example of each of them. It avoids typing the code again and again by using its snippets directly. Thus, we can say this extension is beginner-friendly and saves a lot of time for Python developers.

Key Features

• Predefined Code Snippets: Provides predefined snippets for common Python constructs like lists, dictionaries, and functions.
• Time-Saving Shortcuts: Reduces repetitive typing with shortcuts for essential code elements.

5. AREPL for python

It provides code evaluation in real-time. As you start typing, the code will keep on running which helps to check if the code is right or not during the time of writing itself. If an error is found, it will be reflected in the editor instantly with logs. It can be configured accordingly to fit user experience from the settings. One doesn't need to run the code, AREPL automatically evaluates it.

Key Features

• Real-Time Code Evaluation: Evaluates code as you type and provides immediate feedback.
• Instant Error Feedback: Instantly displays errors in the editor during code writing.

6. Better Comments

Better Comments as the name suggest helps to create comments that are easily understandable. You can easily distinguish between different types of comments like alerts, todos, queries, etc as they are colored differently in order to categorize them. However, you can also change the color setting of the comments. This extension can also be used for languages other than Python.

Key Features

• Color-Coded Comments: Color-codes different types of comments like alerts, todos, and queries for easier identification.
• Customizable Comment Colors: Allows users to customize comment color settings for organization.

7. Python Docstring Generator

It makes it easy to document code in VS Code and follow standard formats. This extension generates docstring for the Python functions, and you can select from different types of docstring formats. This is supported for kwargs, args, errors, and decorators The generated docstring can be formatted as per the user requirement. It provides support for tabbed navigation i.e. when a docstring is generated, you can tab through it to add arguments.

Key Features

• Automatic Docstring Generation: Generates docstrings for functions and methods with tabbed navigation for easy editing.
• Multiple Format Support: Supports various docstring formats like Google and NumPy.

8. Python Indent

This is a great tool for managing indentation in Python. It automatically gives an adequate number of space or tabs when you hit the enter button for the next line. It is one of the best Python extensions in VS Code that saves a lot of time consumed in fixing indentation errors. The main areas where it helps are between bracket pairs, extending comments, trimming whitespace lines, keyword indentation like if-elif-else, return, etc.

Key Features

• Automatic Indentation: Automatically manages indentation based on Python syntax (e.g., brackets, keywords).
• Indentation Fixes: Fixes indentation issues automatically when pressing Enter in code blocks.

9. Python Test Explorer

The Python Test Explorer extension allows you to run your Python unittest or Pytest tests with the Test Explorer UI. It shows a Test Explorer in the Test view in VS Code's sidebar with all the tests that are found. A failed test's log is displayed when the test is selected in the explorer providing an excellent user interface and debugging capabilities.

Key Features

• Unit Testing Integration: Integrates with frameworks like unittest and Pytest for running tests.
• Test UI & Results View: Provides a UI for running tests and viewing test results.

10.Dash

Dash is actually an API Documentation Browser and Code Snippet Manager for macOS. This is a very important extension when you need to refer to the official documentation of Python. If you need to get more information about Classes, Functions, or Types you highlight the code, then press ctrl + h to access the official documentation offline. The benefit of having your docs offline is that you don’t need to have internet access to start coding and looking up references which allows you to focus more on the coding part.

Key Features

• Offline Documentation Access: Allows offline access to Python API documentation for quick reference.
• Code Snippet & Documentation Search: Enables searching and browsing through code snippets and official documentation.

Comparison Table

Read More

• 10 Best IDE For Web Developers
• 8 Best JetBrains IDEs for Developers
• Top 10 Python IDEs

Conclusion

In conclusion, these VS Code Extensions For Python can significantly enhance your Python development workflow in Visual Studio Code, helping you write code more efficiently and effectively. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, these extensions can improve your coding experience and productivity.

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