Software Alternatives & Startups

VS Code VS lazygit

Compare VS Code VS lazygit and see what are their differences

VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Rating
5.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Open source
lazygit

Simple terminal UI for git commands.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than lazygit. While we know about 1219 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 121 mentions of lazygit.

social mentions
1,219 vs 121
Text Editors popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 95

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

VS Code
lazygit
Website code.visualstudio.com github.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

VS Code 8 features
lazygit 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Lazygit provides an intuitive terminal user interface (TUI) for managing git repositories. It simplifies complex git tasks and makes them more accessible for users who are not comfortable with the command line.
  • Speed and Efficiency
    With keybindings and an efficient layout, lazygit can significantly speed up git workflows. Common tasks like staging, committing, and switching branches can be performed more quickly.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Lazygit is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for users across different platforms.
  • Interactive UI
    The interactive UI of lazygit allows users to visualize changes, diffs, and logs in a more comprehensible way compared to traditional command-line interfaces.
  • Ease of Installation
    Lazygit is straightforward to install, often requiring just a few commands, making it accessible even for those with limited technical knowledge.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly design, lazygit introduces a new set of keybindings and interfaces that users must learn, which could be a barrier for some.
  • Limited Customization
    Lazygit may lack the deep customization options available in other git clients or command-line tools, potentially limiting power users who need highly specific configurations.
  • Dependent on Terminal
    Since lazygit operates within a terminal, it might not fully integrate with other graphical development tools some users prefer, reducing its appeal for those who favor all-in-one solutions.
  • Feature Parity
    Lazygit might not support all the advanced features found in more comprehensive GUI-based git clients, potentially requiring users to fall back to command-line git for specific tasks.
  • Resource Consumption
    As a terminal-based tool, lazygit might consume more system resources compared to purely CLI-based git operations, which could be a concern for users on less powerful machines.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

VS Code
lazygit

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.

Overall verdict

  • Lazygit is highly regarded among developers who prefer working from the command line but want a more user-friendly interface than the traditional Git CLI. Its lightweight nature and efficient functionality make it a great tool for those looking to streamline their version control workflow.

Why this product is good

  • Lazygit is a simple, yet powerful terminal UI for Git commands. It allows users to manage their Git repositories with ease through an intuitive interface, reducing the need to remember complex command line options. Users have praised it for improving productivity and making Git processes more visually accessible.

Recommended for

    Lazygit is recommended for developers and software engineers who frequently use Git for version control and prefer a terminal-based user interface. It's particularly useful for those who want a quick and efficient way to perform Git operations without leaving their terminal environment.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

VS Code 2 videos + Add
lazygit 1 video + Add

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

More videos

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

15 Lazygit Features In Under 15 Minutes

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
VS Code
lazygit
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
Git
100% 100%
100% 100%
IDE
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

VS Code 5.0 · 1 review
lazygit no reviews yet

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

VS Code 1219 mentions
lazygit 121 mentions

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  • .gitignore Everything by Default
    Lazygit[0] is ideal for quickly selecting files or lines you want to include in your commit. There are probably countless others. And `--patch` is also not that hard. [0] https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Git rebase -I is not that scary
    I'm a big fan of https://github.com/MitMaro/git-interactive-rebase-tool on the terminal. I also use git absorb (https://github.com/tummychow/git-absorb) and lazygit a lot (https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit). - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • The Git Commands I Run Before Reading Any Code
    Navi is good for generating personal cheatsheets: https://github.com/denisidoro/navi But for Git, I can't recommend lazygit enough. It's an incredible piece of software: https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

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Alternatives to VS Code and lazygit

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