Install
https://code.visualstudio.com/DownloadWho it is for
This skill fits people who want to use Visual Studio Code on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Officially you can download it from the Visual Studio Code website. It also fits people ready to read the How to Contribute document and take part in Code - OSS from source, but that is another path.
It does not fit treating this repository as an installer. This is the Code - OSS repository where Microsoft and the community develop Visual Studio Code. Branded Visual Studio Code is a distribution of this repository, with Microsoft-specific customizations, and it uses the traditional Microsoft product license. If you only want the editor, download from the official site; do not compile the source first.
The official repository is https://github.com/microsoft/vscode The product site is https://code.visualstudio.com/ The download page is https://code.visualstudio.com/Download Operate with these addresses already written.
First attempt in 3 minutes
Follow only the user-download path the official pages write.
Prerequisite: you use Windows, macOS, or Linux, and you agree to download an installer from the official site. First confirm: download and install will write an application on this machine. If you do not yet want to install software, only open the download page and compare.
Install location: open https://code.visualstudio.com/Download Choose the build that matches the current system. Do not invent a package-manager command that never appeared.
Low-risk check: after install, start the editor and open a local folder for read-only browsing. Do not change system settings on the first attempt, and do not install a daily build via the Insiders channel. If you actually want to take part in development, first only open the contribute document https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/wiki/How-to-Contribute Do not compile at once.
Success signal: Visual Studio Code is on this machine and can open a local folder. If the installer came from an unnamed mirror, stop and return to the official download page.
Usage cases
Case 1: Install the release editor for yourself. The source says you can download on Windows, macOS, and Linux, from the Visual Studio Code website. It fits people who only want to use the product and not take part in source development. Download writes to this machine; before running it, confirm the system architecture and the license page https://code.visualstudio.com/License/
Case 2: Take part in Code - OSS from source. The source points to the How to Contribute document. It fits people who have already read that page and agree to build and run as the document says. A build consumes machine resources and may install development dependencies; confirm before running. This passage of the source does not list concrete build commands; do not invent them.
Boundaries
The user main path is an official-site download, not clone-then-run. This repository is Code - OSS; the branded product is a distribution with Microsoft customizations and a Microsoft product license. Do not mix the two licenses.
To get the newest release every day, the source points to the Insiders build https://code.visualstudio.com/insiders That is a pre-release channel; do not treat it as the default install for the first attempt.
Official pages do not write Homebrew, winget, or other installers. Contribute steps follow https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/wiki/How-to-Contribute The source repository is https://github.com/microsoft/vscode If an agent gives an install command that never appeared, treat the official download page as authoritative.