It's been a long time coming and now it's finally here
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Hello,
I created a new (free) Visual Studio 2019,2022 and 2026 extension which some of you may (or may not like.)
Unsure if I'm posting in the right place, so if not, my apologies - feel free to move or delete. It's the first VS extension I've created. (Hopefully more to come)
Here's the blurb.
The Problem
During a typical development session:
Solution Explorer disappears offscreen or gets buried under other windows
Tool windows (such as Solution Explorer, Github CoPilot, Test Explorer, Output window) accumulate until your workspace becomes cluttered
You repeatedly open the same combinations of tool windows for specific tasks (debugging, profiling, database work, etc.)
The Solution
This extension provides flexible, stack-based tool window management:
Quick Access Commands
Show Solution Explorer - Instantly bring Solution Explorer fully into view, even if it's offscreen
Close All Tool Windows (except Solution Explorer) - Clean your workspace while preserving navigation
Close All Tool Windows - Nuclear option for complete decluttering (code windows remain untouched)
Stash/Restore System (The Power Feature)
With this feature you can stash tool windows for showing or closing later.
| Feature | Visual Studio Built-in | This Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Merge tool windows | No - replaces everything | Yes - add to current workspace |
| Quick save without naming | No - must create named layout | Yes - instant stash to stack |
| Multiple saved configurations | Yes | Yes |
| Context menu operations | No | Yes - apply, hide, drop |
| Persistent across sessions | Yes | Yes |
| Affects code editor layout | Yes - overwrites everything | No - tool windows only |
I expected fundamentally better user experience about vs2026, but it feels like it's the same slow thing with some rounded corners and different icons.
Sharing my experience with Visual Studio 2026 after one hour of usage:
I didn’t really feel like I was using a mature IDE — it feels more like something designed for kids to play with.
The overall design is uncomfortable compared to Visual Studio 2022.
And oh, the blue color! They removed my favorite theme and replaced it with nonsensical colors that strain your eyes after just a short time. Even the dark mode doesn’t make sense. I really don’t understand what happened with the theming — and it seems I’m not alone, as many people are complaining about the new look and color scheme.
Based on these concerns, I’d rather stick with Visual Studio 2022 than use what feels like a toy.
Have you guys already switched to VS2026, or are you waiting for the full release? Is it worth it to already switch or are there still some breaking issues?
its getting bloated and clogged again after a few new versions.
anyone noticing it ?
when it first launched the performance was so better than the 2022.
Has anyone obtained a free activation key for Visual Studio pro 2026?
Yay, more AI!!!!!! (Good lord, I hope we'll be able to turn it off)
Read all about it in the announcement blog post, check out the release notes, and download Visual Studio 2026 Insiders.
I hope you will try it out and have a good time with it.
For a beginner looking to acquire skills on a "keeper" platform. My first NEGATIVE impressions from a beginner's perspective after a brief try:
Rider / IntelliJ: modern and responsive, top-class support for most languages, scariest settings section I've ever seen. Every possible knob including the most obscure ones is in.
VS: Practically a C#-only marriage; skill, layout and keymap don't transfer well. Old platform with new UI but a dated codebase underneath (for example, no UI scaling).
VSCode: Modern similar to IntelliJ, attractive at first sight for its stripped down and essential style, but recurring opinion is that it is more headaches / trouble that it's worth because of the non-specialist nature.
I don't see it as simple as "try and see if you like it" because mapping a behemot-size software into one's mind takes weeks or months (+ other things to do).
Long ago, I tried side-loading a preview version of Visual Studio with an older version on my machine, and it screwed up my dev environment. I was forced to reset and reinstall.
The new Visual Studio 2026 looks good! I wanted to try it, but my previous experience held me back.
Has anyone here tried sideloading it? Is there anything I should pay attention to?
I rely on Visual Studio heavily, but VS2026 is extremely buggy, whereas VS2022 was stable for me. All kind of features stop working mid-use, like even search on text. When you experience it, you think you're losing your mind, like, "I swear I typed that right?!". And IDE hangs, of course.
As with much Microsoft software back in the day, my workaround has been: turn off the car, get out of the car, get back in the car, restart the engine.
I'm asking because I know I can't be the only one. And, well, misery loves company.
I've been holding off on buying Visual Studio 2022 standalone since its been announced that 2026 standalone IDE is gonna be available as of today but on the MS website it still takes you to the 2022 Version. What gives?
Hi, im a begginer in c++, currently im learning c++ in UDEMY with vs2022 (my course is in vs2022) but i just realize that vs2026 is available, my question is... should i buy another course to focus in this New versión or should i still learning in that course of vs2022? I just have 2 months learning c++, and i want to be an Unreal Engine video game developer 🥹, thanks you all.