Let’s create muscle memory

A Beginner’s Guide to VS Code Shortcuts

Photo by Anton Maksimov juvnsky on Unsplash

Efficiently utilizing keyboard shortcuts will make a you a more productive developer and when mastered, could save a lot of time. Before you can ditch the mouse, mastering keyboard shortcuts will take a lot of repetition and practice. When first learning these shortcuts I created and hung a shortcut “cheat sheet” above my monitor where I could easily look up the shortcut I needed without having to disrupt my workflow and take my hands off the keyboard. Right now as a student, my immediate goal is not to code faster in order to boost productivity but rather to implement best practices in my learning.

Below are the VS code shortcuts taken directly from my cheat sheet. I am a Windows user and the key strokes will reflect that. However if you work on a Mac, just replace the Ctrl key with your Command key and the Alt key with your Option key.

My top 10 (beginner) VS code shortcuts:

1. Delete entire line: Ctrl + Shift + K
2. Duplicate line up or down: Shift + Alt + Arrow Up or Arrow Down
3. Move line up or down: Alt + Arrow Up or Arrow Down
4. Indent line: Ctrl + ]
5. Outdent line: Ctrl + [
6. Insert line above: Ctrl + Shift + Enter
7. Insert line below: Ctrl + Enter
8. Comment out line: Ctrl + /
9. Multiple cursors: Alt + Click
10. SAVE: Ctrl + S (the holy grail and why the “S” on your keyboard is faded)
11. Command Palette: Ctrl + Shift + P

I have learned that if you find yourself repeating the same action multiple times throughout a project, you will most likely be able to find an easier way to complete that action by using a shortcut. You can easily find a reference to all of the VS code shortcuts by using the Command Palette (#11) and use a keyword to search the action you are attempting to complete. But, don’t forget to write it down because chances are you will need that shortcut again!

For me, these 10 shortcuts are now starting to become second nature. With continued repetition and practice keyboard shortcuts become muscle memory that will help you effortlessly navigate through your code and make you start to feel like a pro. In the long run, these shortcuts will in turn make you a more productive developer.

If you are a student, like me, and need extra practice building up that muscle memory check out shortcutfoo.com where you are able to test your shortcut skills. This is super helpful for me when I am in between projects but still need to code everyday!