Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VS Code VS GNOME

Compare VS Code VS GNOME and see what are their differences

VS Code logo VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

GNOME logo GNOME

An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to put you in control and get things done.
  • VS Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • GNOME Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12

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.

GNOME features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    GNOME provides a clean and intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for both new and experienced users.
  • Accessibility Features
    GNOME includes robust accessibility features, such as screen readers and high-contrast themes, which are essential for users with disabilities.
  • Extensible Through Extensions
    Users can customize and extend GNOME's functionality through a wide range of extensions available from the GNOME Extensions website.
  • Active Development Community
    GNOME has a large and active development community, ensuring continuous improvements, regular updates, and swift bug fixes.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    GNOME is not limited to a single Linux distribution but can be used across various distributions, providing consistent experience.
  • Focus on Performance
    Recent versions of GNOME have focused on performance improvements, making the desktop environment more responsive and efficient.

Possible disadvantages of GNOME

  • Resource Intensive
    GNOME can be more resource-intensive compared to other desktop environments, potentially slowing down performance on older or lower-spec hardware.
  • Limited Customization Out-of-the-Box
    While extensible, GNOMEโ€™s default settings offer limited customization options, requiring users to install additional extensions for advanced tweaks.
  • Compatibility Issues with Some Applications
    Certain applications may not integrate well with GNOME's interface guidelines, leading to a less seamless user experience.
  • Current Design Controversy
    GNOME's design decisions, including the move to GNOME 3, have sparked controversy and dissatisfaction among some users accustomed to older versions.
  • Dependency on Wayland
    GNOME's preference for the Wayland display server protocol over X11 can cause compatibility issues and limitations for certain users and applications.

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.

Analysis of GNOME

Overall verdict

  • Yes, GNOME is generally considered good due to its efficiency, ease of use, and active development community. It is a reliable choice for those looking for a polished and intuitive desktop environment on Linux.

Why this product is good

  • GNOME is known for its user-friendly interface, accessibility features, and strong focus on usability, making it suitable for a wide range of users including both beginners and experienced individuals. It offers a clean and modern design, regular updates, and a strong community for support and contributions.

Recommended for

  • New Linux users seeking an easy-to-navigate desktop environment
  • Design enthusiasts who appreciate a clean and minimalist UI
  • Developers who prefer a stable and customizable workspace
  • Users who require accessibility features and keyboard navigation
  • Anyone looking for a consistent and cohesive desktop experience

VS Code videos

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

More videos:

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

GNOME videos

Ojambo - Review Gedit Editor (vs 0016)

More videos:

  • Review - Linux Text Editors - Intro to Vim, Gedit, and Nano
  • Review - Ojambo - Gedit Advanced Editor Review (vs 0071)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VS Code and GNOME)
Text Editors
92 92%
8% 8
IDE
90 90%
10% 10
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Software Development
86 86%
14% 14

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and GNOME. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

VS Code Reviews

  1. dksinden
    ยท Working at SpeechKit ยท

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. Youโ€™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

GNOME Reviews

Top 10 Free CSV Readers in 2023!
gedit: A text editor that comes pre-installed with many Linux distributions and has a CSV plugin that allows you to view and edit CSV files.
Source: www.retable.io
9 Best Linux Desktop Environments to Use in 2023
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) is a free and open-source software initiative that aims to create network-independent programs based on open-source technologies. Currently, GNOME is the most used Linux desktop environment.
Source: geekflare.com
The 8 Best Ubuntu Desktop Environments (22.04 Jammy Jellyfish Linux)
GNOME Flashback is a trimmed version of GNOME 3 shell based on GNOME 2 desktop. It is a lightweight desktop to help you to get the most out of any low profile PC.
Source: linuxconfig.org
6 Best Linux Desktop Environments to Try in 2022
GNOME is a very popular Linux desktop environment. Many Linux distros use GNOME. GNOME is simple to use and can be customized. The modern and touch-feature-enabled user interface provides an amazing experience. Also, the GNOME desktop can extend its functionalities via GNOME Shell extensions.
Top 10 Best Desktop Environments in 2020
MATE was created as a response to the drop in user experience when Gnome 3.x was launched. Being a fork, itโ€™s very similar to Gnomeโ€™s predecessor and adds more features along with additional community support. This desktop environment caught attention when Linux Mint used MATE instead of Gnome 3 for its user interface.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than GNOME. While we know about 1215 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 22 mentions of GNOME. 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 (1215)

  • History of JavaScript: Browser wars, ECMAScript, Node.js, TypeScript, and React
    Visual Studio Code, a code editor created by Microsoft, was first introduced on April 29, 2015, at the Build conference. - Source: dev.to / 11 days ago
  • How to Get Your First Tool Online
    The step up from there is an editor with a built-in agent like Cursor, Google Antigravity, Windsurf, or VS Code with a coding extension. These are code editors with an AI agent living inside them, and the difference is the responsible party for getting things from place to place. Instead of the software creator shuttling code between windows, the AI agent edits the project files directly and runs the GitHub and... - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • Agentic Engineering: What Does AI Coding Really Cost?
    For IDE-heavy teams, BYOK (bring your own key) can be interesting, no matter whether you live in WebStorm or VS Code. On the JetBrains side, the JetBrains AI plans and Junie BYOK docs allow it, and most VS Code AI extensions offer the same idea: keep the IDE, connect provider keys, pay the provider. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Best Markdown Editors for Developers
    Option 1: Raw editing in IDE. You open the .md file in VS Code or whatever you use. Syntax highlighting shows you the structure. Maybe you toggle a preview pane. This works for quick edits but becomes painful for anything involving tables, diagrams, or complex formatting. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Document Generation for Developers: Security, Compliance, and Build-vs-Buy Decisions for the Template-Plus-Data Pipeline
    You'll need Python 3.8+ and pip for the quickstart, with venv recommended for isolation. Install the requests library for HTTP calls. VS Code with the Python extension works well as an editor, though PyCharm or Sublime Text work equally well. You'll also need a free Foxit developer account. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
View more

GNOME mentions (22)

  • How to obtain a Mac-style taskbar
    The gnome extensions manager can't download extensions from gnome.org, but the extensions manager on flathub can, in addition to the usual extension settings. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Gnome-extensions site down?
    Looks like all of gnome.org is down. I can't get to extensions or anything else. Source: about 3 years ago
  • GNOME 44 is out now
    Just update. New release includes some features you maybe want, and general improvements. https://gnome.org. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Building own server for the first time, and using Linux for the first time
    Using Xorg and a Window/Desktop Manager (maybe you heard of gnome), you're able to have a functional desktop like Windows. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Introducing GNOME 44, โ€œKuala Lumpurโ€
    That third graph doesn't do a good job of accurately assigning commits to organization. For example, two the largest GNOME contributors for Red Hat are Florian Mรผllner and Jonas ร…dahl. Both of them don't commit using a redhat.com email address. Instead they use gnome.org and gmail.com respectively. So they are incorrectly assigned in the third graph to either Personal or other where they should be with Red Hat. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VS Code and GNOME, 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.

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

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

Node.js - Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast, scalable network applications

Eclipse IoT - Eclipse IoT provides the technology needed to build IoT Devices, Gateways, and Cloud Platforms.

Microsoft Visual Studio - Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft.