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Which is more popular?
Based on our record, VS Code
seems to be a lot more popular than Squirrelsong.
While we know about 1221 links to VS Code,
we've tracked only 3 mentions of Squirrelsong.
social mentions
1,221 vs 3
Text Editors popularity
99% vs 1%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 32
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
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.
No features have been listed yet.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
VS Code
S
Squirrelsong
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
Squirrelsong is a well-crafted, thoughtfully designed color theme created by Artem Sapegin that offers a warm, easy-on-the-eyes palette suitable for long coding sessions.
Why this product is good
Warm, muted color palette that reduces eye strain during extended use
Available in both light and dark variants to suit different environments and preferences
Carefully designed by an experienced developer and designer for good readability and syntax contrast
Supports multiple editors and tools, making it versatile across development setups
Free and open source, backed by an active creator in the developer community
Recommended for
Developers who spend long hours coding and want a comfortable, low-strain theme
Users who prefer warm, earthy color schemes over high-contrast neon palettes
People who want a cohesive theme available in both light and dark modes
Anyone looking for a polished, thoughtfully designed alternative to mainstream editor themes
If you're a Windows DBA who mainly manages servers, SSMS is still hard to beat. SQL Server Data Tools makes the most sense for teams building database projects in Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL...
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...
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...
VS Code is where I do most of my work, but whenever I needed to properly review a PDF, I kept switching to another app just to highlight a passage, leave a comment, or sign a document.
- Source: dev.to
/
10 days ago
Your editor of choice works fine here. VS Code with the TypeScript extension catches type errors early, and WebStorm and Sublime Text are solid alternatives. Install jq if you want to inspect API responses from the terminal without...
- Source: dev.to
/
11 days ago
How to Install Python 3.14 on Mac and Set Up VS Code (2026 Beginner Guide)
Download VS Code from code.visualstudio.com, unzip it, and drag it into Applications. Running it from the Downloads folder causes update problems later.
- Source: dev.to
/
21 days ago
Squirrelsong Light: low-contrast light theme for Visual Studio Code
P. S. Squirrelsong is also available for Alfred, CotEditor, Chrome, iTerm2, JetBrains, Marta File Manager, Midnight Commander, Nimble Commander, Prism, Slack, Sublime Text, Telegram, Terminal.app, Vivaldi, Warp, WezTerm, and more….
- Source: dev.to
/
over 2 years ago
I’ve created my own color scheme that gives me enough contrast to distinguish different things in the code but not overly bright to make my eyes bleed. I called it Squirrelsong, because why not?
- Source: dev.to
/
over 2 years ago
Tip: Check out my color schemes for Visual Studio Code and Bear if you want to have a monochrome Markdown highlighting similar to iA Writer.
- Source: dev.to
/
over 2 years ago
Alternatives to VS Code and Squirrelsong
When comparing VS Code and Squirrelsong, you can also consider the following products.
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.
Sublime Text
Vim
Notepad++
Node.js
Microsoft Visual Studio
GitHub
IntelliJ IDEA
Cursor
Productivity Power Tools
Sublime
Midnight Echo
Codespace
BBEdit
