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VS Code VS Arcan

Compare VS Code VS Arcan and see what are their differences

Flagsmith
Flagsmith lets you manage feature flags and remote config across web, mobile and server side applications. Deliver true Continuous Integration. Get builds out faster. Control who has access to new features. We're Open Source. featured
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VS Code logo VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Arcan logo Arcan

Game engine and multimedia framework and display server.
  • VS Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • Arcan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-14

VS Code features and specs

  • Cross-platform
    VS Code works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing a consistent development experience across different operating systems.
  • Extensibility
    A vast library of extensions allows users to add functionalities like debuggers, linters, and themes, making it highly customizable.
  • Integrated Git
    Built-in Git integration makes it easy to manage version control tasks directly within the editor.
  • Performance
    Lightweight compared to full-fledged IDEs, ensuring good performance even on systems with limited resources.
  • IntelliSense
    Advanced code completion and refactoring tools help improve coding efficiency and reduce errors.
  • Community Support
    A strong and active community provides extensive support, tutorials, and third-party extensions.
  • Debugging
    Robust debugging tools for various languages and frameworks are available out of the box.
  • Free and Open-Source
    VS Code is completely free to use and open-source, which is beneficial for both individual developers and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of VS Code

  • Limited IDE Features
    While extensible, it may lack some advanced features found in dedicated IDEs out of the box.
  • Extension Management
    Managing and configuring a large number of extensions can become cumbersome and sometimes lead to performance issues.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, it has a steeper learning curve for beginners due to its numerous features and customization options.
  • Memory Usage
    Despite being lightweight, it can consume a significant amount of memory when multiple extensions are installed.
  • Update Frequency
    Frequent updates may sometimes introduce bugs or require users to adapt to new changes quickly.
  • Internet Dependency
    Some features and extensions may require an internet connection to function optimally.
  • Telemetry
    By default, VS Code collects usage data, which might be a concern for users sensitive about data privacy. However, this can be disabled.

Arcan features and specs

  • Open Source
    Arcan is open-source, allowing developers to access, modify, and improve the source code according to their needs. This fosters a community-driven environment and enhances transparency.
  • Versatility
    Arcan is designed to handle a wide array of graphical and multimedia tasks, making it suitable for various applications beyond just a display server.
  • Security Focus
    The platform emphasizes security by design, providing mechanisms to isolate and protect components and users, which is crucial in multi-user or multi-tenant systems.
  • Performance
    Arcan is optimized for performance, aiming to deliver efficient rendering and resource utilization, which is beneficial for both desktop environments and embedded systems.

Possible disadvantages of Arcan

  • Complexity
    Due to its extensive feature set and adaptable nature, Arcan's framework may have a steep learning curve for new users or developers unfamiliar with its architecture.
  • Limited Adoption
    Compared to more established systems like X11 or Wayland, Arcan has a smaller user base, which can limit community support, third-party integrations, and documentation.
  • Compatibility Challenges
    As Arcan offers a unique approach to handling graphical tasks, it might face compatibility issues with software or systems not specifically designed to work with its environment.

Analysis of VS Code

Overall verdict

  • Yes, VS Code is generally considered a good choice for developers due to its flexibility, efficiency, and strong community support. It is lightweight, fast, and user-friendly, catering to both novice and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

  • VS Code, developed by Microsoft, is a widely popular and versatile code editor. It offers a robust extension ecosystem, which allows developers to customize their workflow and coding environment extensively. Additionally, VS Code supports numerous programming languages right out of the box and provides features like IntelliSense, debugging, Git integration, and a built-in terminal, making it a powerful tool for developers.

Recommended for

  • Web developers looking for a comprehensive yet lightweight coding environment.
  • Software developers who need an editor with extensive language support and customization options.
  • Beginner programmers who would benefit from a feature-rich editor that can grow with their skills.
  • Developers interested in an open-source tool with continuous updates and community-driven enhancements.

VS Code videos

+ Add

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

More videos:

  • Review - 7 reasons why I switched to Visual Studio Code from Sublime Text

Arcan videos

+ Add

A Quick Review of Arcan XL3000 Low Profile Floor Jack

More videos:

  • Review - Arcan 2 Ton Jack For The Lexus Gsf
  • Review - Arcan 3 Ton Aluminum Low Profile Jack Review On The Jeep Wrangler YJ

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VS Code and Arcan)

VS Code

Arcan

Text Editors
100 100%
Text Editors
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
Linux
100% 100
IDE
100 100%
IDE
0% 0
Operating Systems
0 0%
Operating Systems
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and Arcan. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VS Code and Arcan

VS Code Reviews

  1. dksinden
    · Working at SpeechKit ·
Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
Visual Studio Code, commonly known as VS Code, is a powerful and extensible code editor developed by Microsoft. With its rich ecosystem of extensions and features like IntelliSense, debugging, and Git integration, VS Code enhances your coding productivity.
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
Finally, the Visual Studio Code website has numerous tabs for you to learn about the software. The documentation page walks you through steps like the setup and working with different languages. You’re also able to check out some tips and tricks and learn all of the Visual Studio Code keyboard shortcuts. Along with a blog, updates page, extensions library and API...
Source: kinsta.com
Jupyter Notebook & 10 Alternatives: Data Notebook Review [2023]
Previously, VS Code was more suited to developers or engineers due to its lack of data analysis capabilities, but since 2020, the VS Code team has collaborated with the Jupyter team to create an integrated notebook within VS Code. The end result is a fantastic IDE workbook for data analysis.
Source: lakefs.io
The Best IDEs for Java Development: A Comparative Analysis
Overview: Although not a traditional IDE, VS Code has gained popularity as a lightweight code editor.
Source: dev.to
20 Best Diff Tools to Compare File Contents on Linux
Visual studio code is a code editor made by Microsoft. It supports several development operations like debugging, task running, and version control. It works on Linux, macOS and Windows operating systems.
Source: linuxopsys.com

Arcan Reviews

We have no reviews of Arcan yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than Arcan. While we know about 1177 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 21 mentions of Arcan. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

VS Code mentions (1177)

  • Improve Your Git Commit Messages with GitLens Tips
    To generate the commit messages, first of all, you have to change your codebase 😎 After that, when you are ready to commit, it’s time to generate the message. To do that, you need to go to the Source Control panel in VSCode, and if you have the GitLens extension installed, you can use the “Magic” icon to generate the message. - Source: dev.to / about 22 hours ago
  • How to upload SDI FatturaPA invoices with C#
    We use the dotnet tool and VS Code as they are available on most systems, but you can follow along with your favourite IDE (Visual Studio, Rider, etc.) if you prefer. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • An Experiment with AI Assisted Web Development
    As a productive learning exercise, I spent the last couple of evenings taking Cursor (the desktop code editor that is a fork of VS Code) for a spin to build a new web app I needed for a side project – a system to manage charity raffle tickets at the 2025 Melbourne Pen & Stationery Show I am helping to run soon. - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • Go (Golang) - Environment Setup
    Download: Get it from its official site: code.visualstudio.com. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
  • Microsoft: An Open-Source Comedy
    Since the beginning of opensource ideology, Microsoft has been one of those companies that no one ever expected to join the cause. Weirdly enough, They did! By making PowerShell opensource, and more important than that: by introducing Visual Studio Code to the world of programming. Microsoft vscode is one the fastest text editors out there and, thanks to its massive list of extensions, one of the best most-used... - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
View more

Arcan mentions (21)

  • Étoilé – desktop built on GNUStep
    Chisnall has stated several times over on Lobsters that he's thinking of basing is future project on Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com/). It's a very interesting project. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • In praise of grobi for auto-configuring X11 monitors
    Yes, multi-protocol display servers like Arcan are the future. https://arcan-fe.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Dear sir, you have built a compiler (2022)
    You should take a look at arcan, it's almost exactly that: http://arcan-fe.com - https://arcan-fe.com/2022/10/15/whipping-up-a-new-shell-lashcat9/ - https://arcan-fe.com/2024/09/16/a-spreadsheet-and-a-debugger-walks-into-a-shell/ I am not using it as a daily driver, because, emacs, but I keep an eye on it because, well, emacs. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11
    This was very cool, and is made in Arcan! https://arcan-fe.com/ a project I just recently discovered and am very excited about. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ideal OS: Rebooting the Desktop Operating System (2017)
    A lot of this seems like it's done by Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VS Code and Arcan, you can also consider the following products

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

Wayfire - Wayland compositor with 3d effects.

Vim - Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

Unity8 - Mir compositor with Wayland apps support.

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

UKUI - UKUI is a lightweight desktop environment based on pluggable framework for Linux and other Unix-like Distributions.

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