Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VS Code VS Screeps

Compare VS Code VS Screeps and see what are their differences

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VS Code logo VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Screeps logo Screeps

Learn to code JavaScript by playing game.
  • VS Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • Screeps Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-17

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.

Screeps features and specs

  • Educational Value
    Screeps teaches real-world JavaScript programming concepts such as algorithms, optimization, and system design in a fun, gamified environment.
  • Real-time Strategy
    It combines elements of real-time strategy games with coding, offering a unique and challenging experience that keeps players engaged.
  • Persistent World
    The game world is persistent and runs 24/7, allowing your code to continue operating and evolving even when you're not logged in.
  • Community and Collaboration
    There is a strong community providing support, sharing code, and contributing to open-source projects related to the game.
  • Scalability
    The game can scale from small, personal projects to large, complex systems, providing ongoing challenges and opportunities for learning.

Possible disadvantages of Screeps

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Beginners might find the game difficult to grasp initially due to the complex mechanics and required programming knowledge.
  • Time-Consuming
    To effectively compete, players often need to invest significant time in optimizing and maintaining their code.
  • Subscription Costs
    While there is a free tier, many features and advanced gameplay elements are locked behind a subscription paywall.
  • Technical Requirements
    The game requires a good understanding of programming and problem-solving skills, which might be off-putting for casual gamers.
  • Server Issues
    There can be server stability and performance issues due to the constant demand and real-time nature of the game.

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 Screeps

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Screeps is a well-regarded game for those interested in programming and strategy.

Why this product is good

  • Screeps offers a unique blend of coding and gaming, allowing players to program real JavaScript or other languages to control in-game units. This not only makes for a dynamic and challenging experience but also provides a learning opportunity for both beginner and experienced programmers. The persistent world means that players’ projects can continue to evolve, and the community is generally supportive and engaged.

Recommended for

  • Aspiring programmers looking to practice coding in a fun environment
  • Experienced developers who enjoy applying their skills to strategic gameplay
  • Gamers who appreciate a challenge and are interested in games that require long-term planning and execution
  • Individuals interested in AI and automation who want a hands-on approach to learning

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

Screeps videos

Screeps Game REVIEW - Learn JavaScript by Playing - Educational MMO (Math/Programming)

More videos:

  • Review - What is Screeps? - by th_pion
  • Review - Game Developer's Toolbox: Learn programming with Screeps

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VS Code and Screeps)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Online Learning
0 0%
100% 100
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Online Education
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and Screeps. 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 Screeps

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

Screeps Reviews

15 Best LeetCode Alternatives 2023
You also get access to game API and docs of a full-fledged platform on Screeps. Because it uses games as its basis of operation, Screeps is more fun than LeetCode.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than Screeps. While we know about 1146 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 43 mentions of Screeps. 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 (1146)

  • What Are the Best Code Editors for Collaborative Coding?
    Visual Studio Code is a highly popular, lightweight, and versatile code editor. Its Live Share extension transforms it into a powerful collaborative tool. With Live Share, developers can co-edit and co-debug codes in real-time, making it easier to handle complex projects together. It offers:. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • Before the Code: Why I Chose Web Development and How I Got Started
    Built-in terminal (you’ll love this later) Download it here. - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • #The Chronicles of Sam: 10,000 Hours to Say “Hi” Automatically 💬
    Somewhere between enabling CORS and accidentally enabling IAM authentication, Sam backed out slowly and did what all developers eventually do when faced with AWS UI: They closed the tab and opened [VSCode 🖥️].(https://code.visualstudio.com/). - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
  • Build Python Docker Development Environment on Win11 from Scratch
    Download VSCode through the following URL Https://code.visualstudio.com/. - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
  • How to Handle File Uploads with Node.js and Express - Multer Edition
    A text editor or lightweight IDE such as Visual Studio Code. - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
View more

Screeps mentions (43)

  • Show HN: A Competition Game to write bots for the most efficient algo
    Reminds me (in spirit) of screeps https://screeps.com/ - any inspiration? - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • AI Wars – control your 2d space shooter with AI
    I love the idea of having an AI prompt to write code for the bots. There are already games like https://screeps.com/ or https://store.steampowered.com/app/2060160/The_Farmer_Was_Replaced/ where you program your bot to do things, but they do require some minimal coding experience. Being able to describe behavior in plain english would be pretty cool. However, I think having real-time feedback is a huge part of... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Show HN: Engineering Games (List)
    I've heard about Screeps which is close to what you describe: https://screeps.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Games like Stone Story RPG
    I have tried Screeps in the past, and I'm not a huge fan. I really like Stone Story, but they do not have an easy way to take your saves across multiple platforms -- you have to manually import/export your save. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Helping a young coder
    -For JavaScript, my advice would be to introduce coding games. That way it's more fun and the environment would be set up better (less worrying about deep technical errors). The two games that come to mind are Bitburner (free) and Screeps (free offline/paid online), though they both have their own learning curves and require actual coding; so for a 9 year old YMMV greatly. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VS Code and Screeps, 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.

CodeCombat - Learn programming with a multiplayer live coding strategy game.

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

Robocode - Robocode is a programming game where the goal is to code a robot battle tank to compete against...

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

CheckIO - CheckIO is a web site with a mission: To teach JavaScript and Python coding skills through a game-playing interface. It is designed to teach new skills or improve existing skills through completing challenges.