Back to blog

5 VS Code extensions that replace entire development tools

Add these VS Code extensions to your workflow for improved productivity and a faster development experience.

Look at your system tray and count the development tools running. It adds up fast; each tool consumes memory, requires updates, and competes for your attention.

Over the past year, I have replaced most of these tools with VS Code extensions. Not basic replacements, but sometimes, complete alternatives that made me uninstall the original applications.

In this article, I'll show you five VS Code extensions that can serve as alternatives to standalone development tools, plus a bonus that might save you a subscription. Let's explore how they work and when they make sense as replacements.

Thunder Client: An alternative to Postman

So many people love Postman. It's a great tool for API development and testing. But it's also a separate application from our development environment, which might introduce unnecessary context switching.

With the VS Code Thunder Client extension, you can replace Postman with a comparable experience directly within your development environment. Thunder Client is a lightweight alternative to Postman. It also has features like Collections, CI/CD integration, local storage and Git Sync.

And for Postman users, the familiar interface makes the transition straightforward.

Thunder Client

It's worth noting that Thunder Client has paid plans and some limitations to the free version. For example, the free plan specifies "non Commercial use" and Collection Runs are limited to 30, while Postman limits to 25. So the main advantage is that you can use it directly in VS Code without needing to context switch or dedicate computer resources to a separate application.

Migration tips from experience:

  1. Export Collections from Postman: Postman collections can be exported as JSON files and then imported into Thunder Client.

  2. Reconfigure Environment Variables: Thunder Client uses a different structure for environment variables. While Postman supports dynamic environments, Thunder Client requires setting these variables in its Environment tab.

  3. Take full advantage of Thunder Client's VS Code integration: Quick-pin collections, manage environment variables through .env files, and use keyboard shortcuts.

Thunder Client works well for API development and testing. Postman offers additional features like monitoring and mock servers, so consider your needs when choosing between them.

BlackBox AI: ChatGPT alternative for VS Code

If you've been going back and forth between ChatGPT and VS Code, BlackBox AI is another AI coding assistant that works directly in VS Code. It can help you with code suggestions, explanations, and improvements. Yes, Copilot exists and it's now free to an extent for many developers. So, you can either use that or BlackBox AI. But what makes BlackBox AI unique is that it functions out of the box and requires no signup. It also works great for almost any code-related tasks, including chat, code generation, suggestions and reviews.

BlackBox AI

One of the main advantages to ChatGPT is context awareness. BlackBox AI sees your whole project structure when making suggestions. It works well for developers who want AI assistance without leaving their editor.

Time Master: Alternative to Toggl and RescueTime

Many people use Toggl and RescueTime for time tracking. It's a way to understand how you spend your time and how productive you are. Freelancers might use it for client billing, and teams can track time for project estimates and resource allocation.

Toggl is a standalone application that offers time tracking, and RescueTime provides productivity analytics. However, Time Master, a VS Code extension, combines both approaches with a developer-specific focus. Instead of requiring manual timer starts and stops, it automatically generates metrics, insights and time tracking reports from your VS Code activity.

A typical Time Master report looks like this:

Time Master

The extension recognizes different types of development work and categorizes each automatically. Unlike RescueTime's window tracking, Time Master watches file changes and development activities. This can help you with more accurate reports for programming work.

Time Master lacks some features from the standalone apps - mobile apps, client billing, and detailed charts. But for pure development tracking, you might find it more useful than the other timers. Also, the fact that it's right in VS Code, and you don't have to do anything complex to start tracking is very useful.

Dendron: Alternative to Notion and Obsidian

Knowledge management tools like Notion and Obsidian work well for general note-taking, but Dendron takes a developer-first approach. Dendron is built specifically for managing technical knowledge. It handles everything from documentation to meeting notes right in VS Code.

The extension uses a hierarchical structure that will feel familiar to developers:

Dendron

The key difference from tools like Notion is that everything is plain markdown files that work with git, and it's right in your editor. This means version control for your notes, blame history for edits, and the ability to use any text editor. Notes stay with your code, making documentation feel like a natural part of the codebase. You get features like quick lookups, backlinks, and structured hierarchies right where you write code.

What you trade: Notion's real-time collaboration and polish, Obsidian's graph visualizations. What you gain: Developer-focused features like note references (similar to code imports), mermaid diagrams, and math equations through KaTeX. Plus, everything stays fast even with thousands of notes.

GitDoc: Google Docs-style auto-saving for code

While not replacing a standalone app entirely, GitDoc transforms how code versioning works. It brings Google Docs-style automatic saving to your code; every save creates a git commit automatically.

Here's what this means in practice:

JavaScript
// Edit your code
const getUserData = () => {
  // Save the file with Ctrl+S
  // GitDoc creates a commit automatically
}

// Make another change
const getUserData = () => {
  const data = fetchData()
  // Save again
  // Another commit is created
}

The extension only commits error-free code by default, so you won't accidentally preserve broken states. For specific branches or files, like documentation or school work, you can enable permanent auto-commits. For feature work, turn it on temporarily to track how your changes evolve.

GitDoc doesn't try to replace full git clients. Instead, it makes version control feel more natural - just save your file and a version is preserved. When needed, you can still squash commits or undo changes using regular git commands.

Error Lens vs traditional error trackers

Many developers use Rollbar and Sentry to track and monitor application errors in production. These tools collect, aggregate, and help debug issues that users encounter.

Error Lens, a VS Code extension, serves a different purpose by focusing on development-time errors. Error Lens doesn't try to replace production error trackers like Sentry. Instead, it improves how you see problems in your code editor. The extension highlights entire lines that contain errors, warnings, or other diagnostic messages, and displays the full error text right next to your code.

Error Lens

Error Lens makes development errors more visible by:

  • Displaying error messages inline instead of requiring you to hover

  • Adding clear visual indicators for different types of issues

  • Letting you quickly search for solutions or select problematic code ranges

The immediate feedback loop can change your development patterns and help you fix problems during coding rather than having them show up in the console or in error dashboards later.

Making the switch

Replacing standalone tools with VS Code extensions brings several advantages:

  • Reduced context switching: Your development environment stays focused in one place. No more jumping between applications to check API responses or review documentation.

  • Lower resource usage: Fewer applications running means less memory usage and better system performance. VS Code extensions typically use fewer resources than standalone applications.

  • Simplified updates: Extensions update through VS Code's built-in system. You no longer need to manage updates for multiple development tools separately.

  • Consistent interface: Working within VS Code provides a familiar environment. The learning curve for new tools decreases when they share VS Code's interface patterns.

That said, consider these factors before making the switch:

  • Feature requirements: Review the features you actually use in standalone tools. Some specialized features might not be available in VS Code extensions.

  • Team compatibility: If you work with a team, ensure everyone is comfortable with the transition. Some team members might prefer standalone tools they're familiar with.

  • Performance impact: While extensions generally use fewer resources than separate applications, too many extensions can slow down VS Code. Monitor performance and disable extensions you're not actively using.

  • Backup plans: Keep standalone alternatives available for critical tools. If an extension stops working or needs updates, you'll want a backup option.

Final thoughts

VS Code extensions have matured to the point where they can replace many standalone development tools. The benefits of a unified development environment often outweigh the limitations of extensions.

Start small when making the transition. Replace one tool at a time and evaluate how it affects your workflow. You might find that some tools work better as extensions while others are worth keeping as standalone applications. Choose the combination of tools that works best for your specific needs and working style. And if you haven't seen these 10 new Git commands that make your workflow faster and more flexible, check them out here, along with our article that compares Deno 2 vs Bun; choosing the right runtime can make a big difference in how your applications perform and scale.

More resources

Start building with Appwrite today

Get started

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to our company blog and get the latest insights from Appwrite. Learn more about engineering, product design, building community, and tips & tricks for using Appwrite.