Formatting Code on Save in Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular code editor that provides a wide range of features to improve coding productivity. One such feature is the ability to format code automatically when saving a file. In this tutorial, we will explore how to enable and configure this feature in VS Code.

Enabling Format on Save

To enable format on save in VS Code, you need to modify the editor settings. You can do this by following these steps:

1. Open the Command Palette in VS Code by pressing Cmd + , (on Mac) or Ctrl + , (on Windows/Linux).
2. Type "format" in the search box and select the "Format On Save" option.
3. Toggle the switch to enable the feature.

Alternatively, you can also edit the settings.json file directly. To do this:

1. Open the Command Palette and type "Open Settings (JSON)".
2. Add the following line to the settings.json file: "editor.formatOnSave": true

Configuring Format on Save for Specific Languages

If you want to enable format on save for a specific language, such as JavaScript or TypeScript, you can modify the settings accordingly. For example:

• To enable format on save for JavaScript, add the following line to the settings.json file: "[javascript]": { "editor.formatOnSave": true }
• To enable format on save for TypeScript, add the following line to the settings.json file: "[typescript]": { "editor.formatOnSave": true }

Using Prettier Code Formatter

If you prefer to use a specific code formatter like Prettier, you can install the Prettier extension in VS Code and configure it to format your code on save. To do this:

1. Install the Prettier extension from the VS Code marketplace.
2. Open the Command Palette and type "Open Settings (JSON)".
3. Add the following line to the settings.json file: "prettier.configPath": ".prettierrc"

You can then use the Alt + Shift + F shortcut to format your code using Prettier.

Best Practices

• Make sure to configure the format on save feature according to your project’s coding standards and conventions.
• Use a consistent code formatter throughout your project to ensure uniform formatting.
• Regularly review and update your code formatting settings to ensure they align with your project’s requirements.

By following these steps and best practices, you can enable and configure the format on save feature in VS Code to improve your coding productivity and maintain consistent code formatting across your projects.