Download File

How to Download Visual Studio

Visual Studio is a powerful and comprehensive IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that allows you to create, debug, test, and deploy applications for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and more. Whether you are a beginner or a professional developer, Visual Studio can help you boost your productivity, improve your code quality, and collaborate with your team.

In this article, you will learn how to download Visual Studio and install it on your computer. You will also learn how to choose the right version and edition of Visual Studio for your needs, and how to access the benefits that come with your subscription.

What is Visual Studio?

Visual Studio is a software development tool that supports a wide range of programming languages, frameworks, platforms, and technologies. You can use Visual Studio to build web, cloud, desktop, mobile, game, and AI applications using languages such as C#, C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, and more.

Features of Visual Studio

Visual Studio has many features that make it a versatile and efficient IDE for developers. Some of these features are:

• Modular installation: You can choose and install only the workloads and components you need for your projects.
• Cloud-enabled development: You can easily create and deploy applications for Microsoft Azure using built-in tools and services.
• Cross-platform development: You can build applications that run on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and other devices using Xamarin, .NET MAUI, or C++.
• Code editing and navigation: You can write and edit code faster using features such as IntelliSense, CodeLens, Peek Definition, Refactoring, and more.
• Debugging and testing: You can find and fix errors in your code using features such as Breakpoints, Watch Windows, IntelliTrace, Code Map, Live Unit Testing, IntelliTest, Code Coverage, and more.
• Collaboration and version control: You can work with your team using features such as Code Review, Task Suspend/Resume, Team Explorer, Visual Studio Live Share, GitHub integration, and more.
• Extensions and customization: You can enhance your IDE with thousands of extensions that add new features or support new languages and technologies.

Benefits of Visual Studio

Visual Studio also comes with various benefits that help you save time and money while developing high-quality software. Some of these benefits are:

• Azure credits: You can use your monthly Azure credits to access cloud services such as virtual machines, databases, storage, AI, and more.
• Software downloads: You can download software for development and testing purposes such as Windows Server, SQL Server, Office 365 ProPlus, Power BI Pro Desktop Editions.
• Services: You can access services such as GitHub Enterprise (for Enterprise subscribers), Azure DevOps Server (for Professional subscribers), Parasoft Virtualize/SOAtest Professional Desktop (for Enterprise subscribers), WhiteSource Bolt (for Professional subscribers), and more.
• Training: You can access online courses from Microsoft Learn or Pluralsight (for Enterprise subscribers) to learn new skills or improve your existing ones.
• Support: You can get technical support from Microsoft or other experts through chat or phone (for Enterprise subscribers), or through online forums or communities.

How to Choose the Right Version and Edition of Visual Studio

Before you download Visual Studio, you need to decide which version and edition of Visual Studio suits your needs. There are different options available depending on your preferences and requirements.

Compare Visual Studio 2022 Edition s Editions

Visual Studio 2022 is the latest version of Visual Studio that offers new features and improvements such as 64-bit support, faster performance, better collaboration, enhanced productivity, and more. Visual Studio 2022 has three main editions: Community, Professional, and Enterprise. Here is a table that compares the features and benefits of each edition:

Visual Studio Subscriptions and Benefits

If you want to access the full features and benefits of Visual Studio, you can purchase a Visual Studio subscription. A Visual Studio subscription is a monthly or annual plan that gives you access to the latest version and edition of Visual Studio, as well as other benefits such as Azure credits, software downloads, services, training, and support.

You can choose from different types of Visual Studio subscriptions depending on your needs and budget. Here are some of the most popular options:

• Visual Studio Professional Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Visual Studio Professional edition, as well as $50/month of Azure credits, software downloads, services such as GitHub Enterprise and WhiteSource Bolt, and online forums and communities for support.
• Visual Studio Enterprise Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Visual Studio Enterprise edition, as well as $150/month of Azure credits, software downloads, services such as GitHub Enterprise and Parasoft Virtualize/SOAtest Professional Desktop, online courses from Microsoft Learn or Pluralsight, and technical support from Microsoft or other experts.
• Visual Studio Test Professional Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Visual Studio Test Professional edition, which is a specialized tool for testing applications. You also get $50/month of Azure credits, software downloads, services such as GitHub Enterprise and WhiteSource Bolt, and online forums and communities for support.
• MSDN Platforms Subscription: This subscription gives you access to software downloads for development and testing purposes, such as Windows Server, SQL Server, Office 365 ProPlus, Power BI Pro Desktop Editions. You also get $100/month of Azure credits, services such as GitHub Enterprise and WhiteSource Bolt, and online forums and communities for support.
• Azure DevOps Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Server (formerly Team Foundation Server), which is a server-based solution for collaboration and version control. You also get $50/month of Azure credits, software downloads, services such as GitHub Enterprise and WhiteSource Bolt, and online forums and communities for support.
• Azure DevOps Services Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Services (formerly Visual Studio Team Services), which is a cloud-based solution for collaboration and version control. You also get $50/month of Azure credits, software downloads, services such as GitHub Enterprise and WhiteSource Bolt, and online forums and communities for support.
• Azure DevOps Basic Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Services Basic plan, which is a free plan for up to five users. You also get 2 GB of storage per user.
• Azure DevOps Basic + Test Plans Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Services Basic + Test Plans plan, which is a paid plan that adds test management capabilities to the Basic plan. You also get 2 GB of storage per user.
• Azure DevOps Basic + Artifacts Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Services Basic + Artifacts plan, which is a paid plan that adds package management capabilities to the Basic plan. You also get 2 GB of storage per user.
• Azure DevOps Basic + Test Plans + Artifacts Subscription: This subscription gives you access to Azure DevOps Services Basic + Test Plans + Artifacts plan, which is a paid plan that combines the features of the Test Plans and Artifacts plans. You also get 2 GB of storage per user.

How to Install Visual Studio

Once you have chosen the version and edition of Visual Studio that you want to download, you can follow these steps to install it on your computer:

Step 1 – Make sure your computer is ready for Visual Studio

Before you install Visual Studio, you need to make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Visual Studio. You can check the system requirements for each edition of Visual Studio here:

You also need to make sure that you have enough disk space for Visual Studio and the workloads and components you want to install. You can check the disk space requirements for each workload and component here:

Step 2 – Download the Visual Studio installer

To download the Visual Studio installer, you need to go to the Visual Studio website and choose the edition of Visual Studio that you want to download. You can find the download links for each edition of Visual Studio here:

After you click on the download link, you will be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account or create one if you don’t have one. You will also be asked to choose your subscription plan if you are downloading a paid edition of Visual Studio.

Once you sign in and choose your subscription plan, you will be able to download the Visual Studio installer file. The file name will be something like vs_community.exe, vs_professional.exe, or vs_enterprise.exe depending on the edition of Visual Studio that you are downloading.

After you download the file, you need to run it to start the installation process.

Step 3 – Choose the workloads and components you need

After you run the Visual Studio installer file, you will see a window that shows you the available workloads and components for Visual Studio. A workload is a set of features and tools that support a specific type of development, such as .NET desktop development, ASP.NET and web development, Python development, etc. A component is a specific feature or tool within a workload, such as C# compiler, Entity Framework, Azure SDK, etc.

You can choose the workloads and components that you need for your projects by checking or unchecking the boxes next to them. You can also use the search box or the filters on the left side of the window to find the workloads and components that you are looking for.

You can see the disk space required for each workload and component on the right side of the window. You can also see the total disk space required for all the selected workloads and components at the bottom of the window.

After you choose the workloads and components that you need, you can click on the Install button at the bottom of the window to start installing them.

Step 4 – Start developing with Visual Studio

After you install Visual Studio and the workloads and components that you need, you can start developing with Visual Studio. You can launch Visual Studio from your Start menu or desktop shortcut. You can also pin Visual Studio to your taskbar for easy access.

When you launch Visual Studio for the first time, you will see a window that asks you to sign in with your Microsoft account again. This is to activate your subscription and access your benefits. You can also choose your development settings and theme preferences in this window.

After you sign in and choose your preferences, you will see the main window of Visual Studio. Here, you can create a new project, open an existing project, or clone a project from a repository. You can also access various tools and features from the menu bar, toolbar, solution explorer, editor window, output window, etc.

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to download Visual Studio and install it on your computer. You also learned how to choose the right version and edition of Visual Studio for your needs, and how to access the benefits that come with your subscription.

Visual Studio is a powerful and comprehensive IDE that can help you create, debug, test, and deploy applications for various platforms and technologies. Whether you are a beginner or a professional developer, Visual Studio can help you boost your productivity, improve your code quality, and collaborate with your team.

FAQs

• Q: How do I update Visual Studio?
• A: To update Visual Studio, you need to run the Visual Studio installer again and check for updates. You can also enable automatic updates in the installer settings.
• Q: How do I uninstall Visual Studio?
• A: To uninstall Visual Studio, you need to run the Visual Studio installer again and choose the Uninstall option. You can also uninstall Visual Studio from the Control Panel or the Settings app.
• Q: How do I get help with Visual Studio?
• A: To get help with Visual Studio, you can use the Help menu in Visual Studio to access the documentation, tutorials, videos, forums, communities, and support options. You can also use the Feedback tool in Visual Studio to report a problem or suggest a feature.
• Q: How do I customize Visual Studio?
• A: To customize Visual Studio, you can use the Tools menu in Visual Studio to access the Options dialog box, where you can change various settings and preferences for your IDE. You can also use the Extensions menu in Visual Studio to browse and install extensions that add new features or support new languages and technologies.
• Q: How do I connect Visual Studio to Azure?
• A: To connect Visual Studio to Azure, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account that has an Azure subscription. You can also use the Cloud Explorer tool in Visual Studio to view and manage your Azure resources.

bc1a9a207d