The latest release of Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code, version 1.53, introduces a customizable search mode alongside several other enhancements. Released on February 4 but referred to as the January 2021 update, this version is available for download from the Visual Studio website. As one of the most popular open-source code editors, Visual Studio Code continues to refine its features to meet the needs of developers.
One of the standout additions in this release is the new search.mode setting. This feature allows users to customize how UI search commands operate, such as “Find in Files” or “Find in Workspace.” The setting provides three modes:
- view: Conducts searches in the sidebar or panel.
- newEditor: Opens a new Search Editor for the search operation.
- existingEditor: Utilizes an already open Search Editor if available or creates a new one otherwise.
Previously, users had to modify keybindings to adjust the default search UI, a method that often required manual configuration. With this update, such keybindings can now be removed, streamlining the process and offering greater flexibility for users.
Beyond search, Visual Studio Code 1.53 introduces several other improvements. Developers working with JavaScript will appreciate conditional exception breakpoints in the debugger, along with support for Node.js worker_threads. A new editor.wrapTabs setting allows tabs to wrap instead of displaying a scrollbar, providing better visibility for open files. Additionally, two settings now let developers decide how editor tabs show decorations. Using editor.decorations.colors, tabs can display colored indicators (e.g., red or green for errors and warnings), while workbench.editor.decorations.badges offers badges like an “M” for modified files in Git.
These updates underscore Visual Studio Code’s commitment to enhancing developer productivity and customization. Whether you’re debugging JavaScript, managing tabs, or performing complex searches, version 1.53 delivers tools to streamline and improve the coding experience.