While the download size is roughly 100 MB, the "cost" on the hard drive is significantly higher once decompressed.
Microsoft achieved this small size by building VS Code on (a framework that uses web technologies) but stripping it down to the absolute bare bones. The core editor is just a fast text editor. Everything else comes from extensions. visual studio code download size
How Big is VS Code? A Deep Dive into the Download & Install Size While the download size is roughly 100 MB,
It is common for new developers to confuse with Visual Studio (IDE) . Their storage requirements are vastly different: Visual Studio Code: ~200 MB download; ~500 MB install. Everything else comes from extensions
Visual Studio Code maintains a download size of approximately across all major desktop platforms, which is impressive given its feature parity with heavy IDEs. The use of the Electron framework makes it heavier than native alternatives, but its performance optimization ensures the download remains under the critical 100 MB psychological barrier for most users.
