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How to Run VS Code on Android


Install deVStudio from Google Play. It runs the Linux desktop edition of Visual Studio Code on Android, with extensions, IntelliSense, debugging, Git and a terminal where apt installs any toolchain you need.

How to do it

  1. Install the app from Google Play. Search Google Play for deVStudio by UserLAnd Technologies. It is a one-time purchase.
  2. Open it and let it set up. The first launch downloads and sets up the Linux files the app needs. Stay on Wi-Fi; this only happens once.
  3. Set up your toolchain. VS Code opens with a minimal install. Open the terminal and add what you need, for example sudo apt install build-essential gdb for C and C++.
  4. Use touch as a mouse. Tap with one finger to click, two-finger tap to right-click, pinch to zoom, slide two fingers to scroll, and hold and slide to pan. Tap the screen and choose the keyboard icon to type.

What you get

  • Desktop VS Code: debugging, syntax highlighting, IntelliSense, snippets, refactoring and embedded Git
  • Extensions, themes and keybindings from the extension marketplace
  • A built-in terminal backed by a real Linux system with apt
  • Touch-to-mouse controls and an on-screen keyboard

What you need

  • An Android phone or tablet with Google Play
  • Free storage for the Linux files (a tablet or a phone with a large screen is most comfortable)
  • Internet for the first-time setup
  • Optional: a Bluetooth or USB keyboard and mouse

Prefer free?

UserLAnd is free, and you can install VS Code in it yourself: in UserLAnd, set up Debian, choose Graphical, open a terminal and download the ARM64 .deb from code.visualstudio.com, then run sudo apt install ./code_*.deb. deVStudio does all of that for you in one tap, and buying it supports UserLAnd development.

deVStudio adapts the Linux desktop edition of Visual Studio Code for Android. It is not made by Microsoft.

Get deVStudio on Google Play ($1.99) · Full guide and FAQ on userland.tech

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