Working with Python in Visual Studio Code, using the Microsoft Python extension, is simple, fun, and productive. The extension makes VS Code an excellent Python editor, and works on any operating system with a variety of Python interpreters. It leverages all of VS Code's power to provide auto complete and IntelliSense, linting, debugging, and unit testing, along with the ability to easily switch between Python environments, including virtual and conda environments.

This article provides only an overview of the different capabilities of the Python extension for VS Code. For a walkthrough of editing, running, and debugging code, use the button below.

Install Python and the Python extension

The tutorial guides you through installing Python and using the extension. You must install a Python interpreter yourself separately from the extension. For a quick install, use Python 3.7 from python.org and install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace.

1. Visual Studio Code is a free coding editor that helps you start coding quickly. Use it to code in any programming language, without switching editors. Visual Studio Code has support for many languages, including Python, Java, C, JavaScript, and more.
2. Visual Studio Code does not have the concept of a known 'web application port' like Visual Studio for project types such as ASP.NET. However, if you are joining a collaboration session from a Visual Studio host, you may automatically see your default browser appear when debugging starts that is then automatically connected to the host's running.

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Once you have a version of Python installed, activate it using the Python: Select Interpreter command. If VS Code doesn't automatically locate the interpreter you're looking for, refer to Environments - Manually specify an interpreter.

You can configure the Python extension through settings. Learn more in the Python Settings reference.

Windows Subsystem for Linux: If you are on Windows, WSL is a great way to do Python development. You can run Linux distributions on Windows and Python is often already installed. When coupled with the Remote - WSL extension, you get full VS Code editing and debugging support while running in the context of WSL. To learn more, go to Developing in WSL or try the Working in WSL tutorial.

Insiders program

The Insiders program allows you to try out and automatically install new versions of the Python extension prior to release, including new features and fixes.

If you'd like to opt into the program, you can either open the Command Palette (⇧⌘P (Windows, Linux Ctrl+Shift+P)) and select Python: Switch to Insiders Daily/Weekly Channel or else you can open settings (⌘, (Windows, Linux Ctrl+,)) and look for Python: Insiders Channel to set the channel to 'daily' or 'weekly'.

Run Python code

To experience Python, create a file (using the File Explorer) named hello.py and paste in the following code (assuming Python 3):

The Python extension then provides shortcuts to run Python code in the currently selected interpreter (Python: Select Interpreter in the Command Palette):

• In the text editor: right-click anywhere in the editor and select Run Python File in Terminal. If invoked on a selection, only that selection is run.
• In Explorer: right-click a Python file and select Run Python File in Terminal.

You can also use the Terminal: Create New Integrated Terminal command to create a terminal in which VS Code automatically activates the currently selected interpreter. See Environments below. The Python: Start REPL activates a terminal with the currently selected interpreter and then runs the Python REPL.

For a more specific walkthrough on running code, see the tutorial.

Autocomplete and IntelliSense

The Python extension supports code completion and IntelliSense using the currently selected interpreter. IntelliSense is a general term for a number of features, including intelligent code completion (in-context method and variable suggestions) across all your files and for built-in and third-party modules.

IntelliSense quickly shows methods, class members, and documentation as you type, and you can trigger completions at any time with ⌃Space (Windows, Linux Ctrl+Space). You can also hover over identifiers for more information about them.

Tip: Check out the IntelliCode extension for VS Code (preview). IntelliCode provides a set of AI-assisted capabilities for IntelliSense in Python, such as inferring the most relevant auto-completions based on the current code context.

Linting

Linting analyzes your Python code for potential errors, making it easy to navigate to and correct different problems.

The Python extension can apply a number of different linters including Pylint, pycodestyle, Flake8, mypy, pydocstyle, prospector, and pylama. See Linting.

Debugging

No more print statement debugging! Set breakpoints, inspect data, and use the debug console as you run your program step by step. Debug a number of different types of Python applications, including multi-threaded, web, and remote applications.

For Python-specific details, including setting up your launch.json configuration and remote debugging, see Debugging. General VS Code debugging information is found in the debugging document. The Django and Flask tutorials also demonstrate debugging in the context of those web apps, including debugging Django page templates.

Environments

The Python extension automatically detects Python interpreters that are installed in standard locations. It also detects conda environments as well as virtual environments in the workspace folder. See Configuring Python environments. You can also use the python.pythonPath setting to point to an interpreter anywhere on your computer.

The current environment is shown on the left side of the VS Code Status Bar:

The Status Bar also indicates if no interpreter is selected:

The selected environment is used for IntelliSense, auto-completions, linting, formatting, and any other language-related feature other than debugging. It is also activated when you use run Python in a terminal.

To change the current interpreter, which includes switching to conda or virtual environments, select the interpreter name on the Status Bar or use the Python: Select Interpreter command.

VS Code prompts you with a list of detected environments as well as any you've added manually to your user settings (see Configuring Python environments).

Installing packages

Packages are installed using the Terminal panel and commands like pip install <package_name> (Windows) and pip3 install <package_name> (macOS/Linux). VS Code installs that package into your project along with its dependencies. Examples are given in the Python tutorial as well as the Django and Flask tutorials.

Jupyter notebooks

If you open a Jupyter notebook file (.ipynb) in VS Code, you can use the Jupyter Notebook Editor to directly view, modify, and run code cells.

You can also convert and open the notebook as a Python code file. The notebook's cells are delimited in the Python file with #%% comments, and the Python extension shows Run Cell or Run All Cells CodeLens. Selecting either CodeLens starts the Jupyter server and runs the cell(s) in the Python interactive window:

Opening a notebook as a Python file allows you to use all of VS Code's debugging capabilities. You can then save the notebook file and open it again as a notebook in the Notebook Editor, Jupyter, or even upload it to a service like Azure Notebooks.

Using either method, Notebook Editor or a Python file, you can also connect to a remote Jupyter server for running the code. For more information, see Jupyter support.

Testing

The Python extension supports testing with the unittest, pytest, and nose test frameworks.

To run tests, you enable one of the frameworks in settings. Each framework also has specific settings, such as arguments that identify paths and patterns for test discovery.

Once discovered, VS Code provides a variety of commands (on the Status Bar, the Command Palette, and elsewhere) to run and debug tests, including the ability to run individual test files and individual methods.

Configuration

The Python extension provides a wide variety of settings for its various features. These are described on their relevant topics, such as Editing code, Linting, Debugging, and Testing. The complete list is found in the Settings reference.

Other popular Python extensions

Visual Studio Code Visual Studio Community

The Microsoft Python extension provides all of the features described previously in this article. Additional Python language support can be added to VS Code by installing other popular Python extensions.

Visual Studio Website Examples

1. Open the Extensions view (⇧⌘X (Windows, Linux Ctrl+Shift+X)).
2. Filter the extension list by typing 'python'.

The extensions shown above are dynamically queried. Click on an extension tile above to read the description and reviews to decide which extension is best for you. See more in the Marketplace.

Next steps

• Python Hello World tutorial - Get started with Python in VS Code.
• Editing Python - Learn about auto-completion, formatting, and refactoring for Python.
• Basic Editing - Learn about the powerful VS Code editor.
• Code Navigation - Move quickly through your source code.

Provides features for working with MITRE ATT&CK techniques.

Editor Features

Code Completion

This extension provides Intellisense-like support for ATT&CK tactics, techniques and sub-techniques. This includes completions for technique names too, so typing either Powers or T1059.001 will insert the appropriate text.

If enabled, code completion is supported for Group, Mitigation, and Software IDs/names. However, by default, these providers are disabled. To enable them, go into the vscode-attack section of Settings and check which objects you would like to enable.

Hover

This extension provides descriptions when hovering over tactic and technique IDs, which include the name, MITRE ATT&CK source link, and configurable descriptions pulled from the ATT&CK technique information.

Like code completion, hovers are supported for Group, Mitigation, and Software IDs, and they can be enabled using the appropriate toggles.

Technique Search

This extension provides a command that allows searching for techniques by their technique IDs, names, or interesting keywords found in the descriptions.

For example, searching for the keyword certutil, which is not present in any technique name, will yield a result for T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information, because there is a reference to it in the description. Any matching techniques reveal webpanel with results similar to those found in the hover results.

Miscellaneous

Automatic Updating

The extension will attempt to keep track of new versions of the MITRE ATT&CK framework and download them from The Cyber Threat Intelligence Repository of ATT&CK and CAPEC catalogs if available.

Visual Studio Vb Examples

Window Items

The version of ATT&CK currently in use will be displayed in the lower right-hand corner of the IDE (e.g. ATT&CK v8.1).

Clicking on this item will also execute the Search command and prompt the user for a term to search within the IDE.

Configurability

Certain aspects of this extension can be configured using the Visual Studio Code Settings page.

Applicable Files

By default, this extension applies to saved Markdown and YAML files, but this setting is configurable using the vscode-attack.applicableFiles setting.

Users can add DocumentFilters to register new document types.

For example, if a user wants this extension to apply to all Python scripts, all _reports.txt files, and unsaved files, add the following filters:

Completion Format

By default, this extension inserts ATT&CK objects by their object ID, such as T1059.

Users can modify the setting vscode-attack.completionFormat to display one of the following options instead:

• name: Display the object by name, such as Command and Scripting Interpreter
• fullname: Display the object by name and parent if it is a sub-technique, such as Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell
• id-name: Display the object by their ID and name, such as T1059.001 PowerShell
• id-fullname: Display the object by their ID, name, and parent if it is a sub-technique, such as T1059.001 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell

Description Length

By default, this extension displays only the first line in ATT&CK object descriptions, such as those found in the Hover and Code Completion messages.

Users can modify the vscode-attack.description setting to display just the name + source link (using the short option), or the full description (using the long option).