VSCodium
VS Code without Microsoft telemetry and tracking
Quick Take: VSCodium
VSCodium is the editor VS Code should have been from the start: the same great tool, without the surveillance. For developers who don't depend on Microsoft-exclusive extensions, it's a straightforward improvement. The tradeoff is small (slightly fewer extensions, no built-in sync), and the benefit is clear (zero telemetry, proper open-source licensing). If you care about software freedom, switch. If you don't, VS Code is fine.
Best For
- •Privacy-Conscious Developers
- •Open-Source Advocates
- •Enterprise Teams with OSS Policies
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask vscodiumWhat is VSCodium?
VSCodium is Visual Studio Code, minus Microsoft. Specifically, it's a community-maintained build of VS Code's open-source repository (the MIT-licensed 'Code - OSS' project) that strips out Microsoft's telemetry, tracking, and proprietary branding before compiling the binaries. The code you write in VSCodium is identical to what runs in VS Code—same Electron shell, same Monaco editor, same extension API, same settings format. The difference is what happens behind the scenes: VS Code sends usage data to Microsoft by default, includes proprietary fonts and logos, and connects to Microsoft's extension marketplace. VSCodium sends nothing, uses open-source branding, and connects to the Open VSX Registry instead. For developers who care about software freedom and data privacy, VSCodium is the obvious choice. You get the same editor experience—the same keybindings, the same integrated terminal, the same Git integration, the same debugging—without agreeing to Microsoft's telemetry terms. The tradeoff is real but narrow: a handful of Microsoft-exclusive extensions (C# Dev Kit, Remote - SSH, GitHub Copilot) are only available on the official marketplace, not Open VSX. For most developers working with JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go, or web technologies, every extension they need is available on Open VSX.
Key Features
Zero Telemetry
The defining feature. VSCodium removes all telemetry endpoints, crash reporting, and usage tracking that Microsoft bakes into VS Code. The product.json file is patched at build time to disable every phone-home mechanism. You can verify this yourself—the build scripts are public on GitHub. No data about your files, your extensions, your usage patterns, or your hardware leaves your machine.
Open VSX Extension Registry
Instead of Microsoft's Visual Studio Marketplace, VSCodium connects to the Open VSX Registry maintained by the Eclipse Foundation. Most popular extensions are available: ESLint, Prettier, Python, Rust Analyzer, GitLens, Docker, and thousands more. Publishers upload to Open VSX alongside the Microsoft marketplace, and community members mirror extensions that publishers haven't uploaded directly.
Same Editor, Same Settings
VSCodium uses the same settings.json format, the same keybindings.json, the same launch.json for debugging, and the same tasks.json for build tasks. If you export your VS Code settings, you can import them into VSCodium and start working immediately. Themes, snippets, and language configurations transfer without modification.
Community-Maintained Builds
The VSCodium team tracks VS Code releases closely. When Microsoft publishes a new VS Code version, VSCodium typically produces a matching build within 24-48 hours. Builds are available for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Windows, and Linux across multiple package formats.
MIT License Throughout
Every component of VSCodium is MIT-licensed open-source software. Unlike VS Code—where the published binary has a proprietary Microsoft license even though the source is MIT—VSCodium's binaries are distributed under the same MIT terms. This matters for organizations with strict open-source policies.
Portable Mode
VSCodium supports a portable installation mode where all settings, extensions, and data are stored in a folder alongside the application binary. Carry your entire development environment on a USB drive or sync it between machines via cloud storage without installing anything system-wide.
Who Should Use VSCodium?
1The Privacy-Conscious Developer
They audit their tools the way they audit their dependencies. They refuse to run software that sends usage data without explicit consent. VSCodium gives them the VS Code editing experience with the guarantee that nothing phones home. They pair it with Firefox, Proton Mail, and Signal for a privacy-respecting toolchain.
2The Enterprise Developer with Open-Source Policy
Their company requires all development tools to be open-source with compatible licenses. VS Code's binary license is proprietary (despite the source being MIT), which fails the compliance check. VSCodium's MIT-licensed binaries satisfy the policy. They install it across the team and sync settings via a shared dotfiles repository.
3The Linux Power User on Mac
They use Linux on their workstation and macOS on their laptop. VSCodium works identically on both, with the same extension registry and the same settings format. They maintain a single dotfiles repo with their VSCodium config, and the experience is consistent across platforms. No Microsoft account required, no settings sync through Microsoft's cloud—they use their own git repo.
How to Install VSCodium on Mac
VSCodium is available via Homebrew Cask with native Apple Silicon support.
Install via Homebrew
Run `brew install --cask vscodium` in your terminal. This downloads the universal binary for macOS.
Launch and Import Settings
Open VSCodium. If migrating from VS Code, copy your settings: `cp -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/* ~/Library/Application\ Support/VSCodium/User/`
Install Extensions
Open the Extensions sidebar (Cmd+Shift+X). Search for your essential extensions—most are available on Open VSX. Install them the same way you would in VS Code.
Verify No Telemetry
Open Settings (Cmd+,) and search for 'telemetry'. All telemetry settings should be disabled by default. You can also check `product.json` in the app bundle to confirm no Microsoft endpoints are present.
Pro Tips
- • If an extension you need isn't on Open VSX, you can manually download the .vsix from the VS Marketplace website and install it via `codium --install-extension path/to/extension.vsix`.
- • Use `codium` instead of `code` in your terminal. Add shell integration with 'Shell Command: Install codium command in PATH' from the Command Palette.
- • Your VS Code settings are fully compatible—copy settings.json, keybindings.json, and snippets directly.
Configuration Tips
Mirror VS Code Extensions to Open VSX
If you maintain extensions, publish to both the VS Marketplace and Open VSX. The `ovsx` CLI tool from the Eclipse Foundation makes this a single extra step in your CI pipeline. Your users on VSCodium will find them automatically.
Use a Dotfiles Repo for Settings Sync
Since VSCodium doesn't have Microsoft's Settings Sync, symlink your settings.json and keybindings.json from a git repo: `ln -s ~/dotfiles/vscodium/settings.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/VSCodium/User/settings.json`. This gives you version-controlled, cross-machine sync without any cloud service.
Alternatives to VSCodium
VSCodium exists in the space between VS Code and fully independent editors.
Visual Studio Code
Same editor with Microsoft telemetry, the full marketplace, and built-in Settings Sync. If you don't mind the data collection, VS Code has a slightly smoother out-of-box experience.
Cursor
AI-focused VS Code fork with Composer and Cursor Tab. More features than VSCodium for AI-assisted development, but proprietary and more resource-heavy.
Zed
A completely different editor written in Rust. Much faster, but a different extension ecosystem and editing approach. For developers who want speed over VS Code compatibility.
Pricing
VSCodium is free and open-source under the MIT license. No paid tiers, no subscriptions, no feature gates. The project is maintained by volunteers and distributed through GitHub Releases, Homebrew, and various Linux package managers.
Pros
- ✓Zero telemetry—verified by open build scripts
- ✓Identical editing experience to VS Code
- ✓MIT-licensed binaries (not just source)
- ✓Settings and keybindings transfer from VS Code with no changes
- ✓Open VSX registry has most popular extensions
- ✓Apple Silicon native support
- ✓Portable mode for USB or cloud-synced installations
Cons
- ✗Some Microsoft-exclusive extensions unavailable (C# Dev Kit, Remote - SSH, GitHub Copilot)
- ✗Open VSX registry is smaller than Microsoft's marketplace
- ✗Builds lag VS Code releases by 24-48 hours
- ✗No built-in Settings Sync (use a dotfiles repo instead)
- ✗Smaller community means fewer VSCodium-specific resources
Community & Support
VSCodium is maintained by a group of volunteers on GitHub. The project has 26,000+ stars and an active issue tracker. The community is particularly strong among privacy advocates, Linux users, and open-source purists. Documentation is maintained in the project wiki, and most VS Code documentation applies directly since the editor is functionally identical. The Open VSX Registry has its own community and contribution guidelines for extension publishers.
Frequently Asked Questions about VSCodium
Our Verdict
VSCodium is the editor VS Code should have been from the start: the same great tool, without the surveillance. For developers who don't depend on Microsoft-exclusive extensions, it's a straightforward improvement. The tradeoff is small (slightly fewer extensions, no built-in sync), and the benefit is clear (zero telemetry, proper open-source licensing). If you care about software freedom, switch. If you don't, VS Code is fine.
