Why Developers Still Prefer the Simplicity of VS Code
250Every few months, the developer world gets excited about a new tool or feature. In 2023, it was GitHub Copilot, the AI assistant that made code autocomplete feel almost magical. Then in 2024, attention shifted to Cursor and other AI-first editors, each promising to change how coding works. More recently, on social media, Google’s “agent-first” Antigravity gained buzz as the next big thing. Amid all this, the underlying layers of models keep changing, with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude all competing for attention. But despite the constant hype, one thing remains clear: many developers stick with what works best.
The Power of Ecosystem and Familiarity
Even with new tools emerging, VS Code’s popularity continues to grow. A 2025 survey showed that 85% of developers use AI tools, and over 60% rely on at least one AI assistant or editor. Among all these tools, VS Code remains the dominant platform, with nearly 76% of developers reporting they use it. This is a slight increase from the previous year, which shows it’s not losing ground but strengthening its position.
Many new editors are not trying to replace VS Code entirely. Instead, they are building on top of it. For example, Cursor is a fork of VS Code, designed to make migration easy. Google’s Antigravity is also based on VS Code’s codebase, integrating AI features while maintaining compatibility. Developers have built habits around VS Code’s extensions, keybindings, and integrations, making it hard to switch. This ecosystem creates a “stickiness” that newcomers find hard to break.
AI Tools Are Becoming Industry Standard
GitHub Copilot is a good example of an AI tool that’s here to stay. The CEO of GitHub reported that Copilot now has 20 million users, up from 15 million just a few months earlier. Most impressively, 90% of Fortune 100 companies use it. This shows how deeply embedded it has become in professional workflows. While some developers may have reservations, the widespread adoption in large organizations means Copilot’s influence is huge.
Not everyone loves Copilot, and some prefer other AI models like Gemini or Claude. But the fact remains that Copilot is everywhere — in enterprise, in teams, and in the standard toolchain. It’s less about being trendy and more about being practical. In many cases, companies prioritize tools that are proven, reliable, and supported at scale. As a result, the dominance of Copilot and VS Code shows how familiarity and ecosystem support trump novelty in the long run.
In the end, the question isn’t whether AI will replace traditional IDEs. It’s about who controls the core parts of the development process when AI becomes integrated. For now, VS Code remains the hub where most of this innovation happens. Its widespread use and support make it likely to stay the main platform for developers for years to come.
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