Issue #10  (Minimap Settings)06/29/22

When using a code editor like VS Code or Sublime Text (the two I currently use), I've never really found much use for the "minimap" feature. The mini map, as you probably know, is a "mini" representation of the current file you're working inside that appears in the top-right area of your editor. You can use it to quickly navigate to different parts of your code.

I've only personally used the minimap a few times but I'm sure some of you find it useful, depending on the type of files you're working on.

If you hate the minimap and find it more bothersome than useful (for example, I've accidentally clicked on the minimap many times!), you can disable it in your settings: Open the UI Settings, then type "minimap" in the search at the top. Notice the options that appear.
 
To disable the minimap, uncheck the "Controls whether the minimap is shown" option.

If you're someone who likes the minimap and finds it useful, notice the different settings that let you customize it (which might also make it more useful for those who don't currently use it). You can do any of the following:

• Change the width of the minimap
• Render color blocks in place of the actual lines of code
• Change the scale of content drawn in the minimap
• Always show the slider that appears on mouseover
• Switch the minimap to the left side instead of the default right
• Change the size of the minimap in relation to the editor window

I fiddled around with a bunch of the minimap settings and you can see the result in the screenshot below.
 
It's quite large now and almost becomes a completely different tool. I don't think I'll keep these settings, but I thought it was interesting to see what the different options can do. Maybe you'll find some of these useful for your own use of the minimap.

Now on to this week's hand-picked links!

VS Code Tools

1Password for VS Code — VS Code extension that offers a set of tools to integrate your development workflow with 1Password, powered by the 1Password CLI.

Sequoia Theme — A black, elegant, and modern theme for VS Code, with two versions: Monochrome and Moonlight.

Turbo Console Log — VS Code extension that makes debugging easier by automating the operation of writing meaningful log messages.

Live Sass Compiler — VS Code extension that helps you compile/transpile your SCSS files to CSS in real time.

VS Code Articles

How to Run Node.js Apps in VSCode—without Code Runner! — As the author explains, VS Code comes with built-in tools for running and debugging both Node.js and browser-based JavaScript.

7 Lesser-Known VS Code Shortcuts to Speed Up your Development (with GIF Demos) — A few of these are probably well known, but you might find the others are new to you.

VS Code Supports JSDoc-powered Type Checking — Part of Stefan Judis's fantastic "Today I Learned" article category, covering a tip that might be useful for those familiar with TypeScript.

Bytes — A JavaScript newsletter that's entertaining and informative with lots of coding tidbits, news, and tools.   Sponsor 

The Alternatives

Amazon CodeWhisperer — Similar to GitHub Copilot, an ML-powered coding companion. The page includes some examples of it in action using Python, Java, and JavaScript.

5 Must-have JetBrains Plugins for Remote Developers — Nothing too new or ground-breaking in this list, but a good one if you're fairly new with your JetBrains setup.

Code Sound — A bit of a surreal proof-of-concept demo using sounds as part of an IDE-like code environment. Type some code or switch files to hear some of the effects.

Suggestions?

If you have any link suggestions, including a tool, article, or other resources related to VS Code or another IDE, send it via DM on X: @LouisLazaris or just hit reply on this email.

That's it for this issue.

Happy VS Coding!
Louis
VSCode.Email
@LouisLazaris