What's new in Visual Studio docs
Welcome to what's new in Visual Studio docs. The following sections provide details on the previous three months of new and updated content.
February 2025
Azure
Updated articles
- Azure development with Visual Studio - Add .NET Aspire section
Code quality
Updated articles
- Suppress code analysis violations - Remove information on configuring code quality rule severity from Error List
- Customize Roslyn analyzer rules - Remove information on configuring code quality rule severity from Error List
Containers
New articles
Updated articles
- Tutorial: Create a multi-container app with Docker Compose - Fix issues with Docker Compose tutorial
- Visual Studio Container Tools for Docker - Separate overview from procedures for adding Docker support
Data tools
Updated articles
- Save and edit database connection strings for .NET Framework applications - Review and update
- Create a basic data application by using ADO.NET - Review and update
Debugger
Updated articles
- Edit and Continue (Visual Basic) - Update Hot Reload article
- Edit and Continue (C++) - Update Hot Reload article
- Edit and Continue (Visual C#) - Update Hot Reload article
- Write and debug running code with Hot Reload in Visual Studio (C#, Visual Basic, C++)
- Update Hot Reload article
- Refactor and remove some debugger articles
- Supported Code Changes (C++) - Update Hot Reload article
- Display WPF trace information for data binding
- Add logging example to VSTest.Console.exe article
- Update article on displaying WPF trace information
- View threads and tasks in the Parallel Stacks window (C#, Visual Basic, C++) - Updated status related content and icons for Tasks window
- Using the Tasks Window (C#, Visual Basic, C++) - Updated status related content and icons for Tasks window
- Remote Debugging a C++ Project in Visual Studio - Add context for running the remote debugger.
- Remote Debugging a C# or Visual Basic project in Visual Studio - Add context for running the remote debugger.
- Watch variables with Watch windows and QuickWatch - Add Copilot information to article on watching variables
- Tabular visualizers in Visual Studio - Add info for inline Copilot Chat for IEnumerable visualizer
Deployment
Updated articles
- Application deployment prerequisites (Windows desktop) - Clarify bootstrapper deployment scenarios and improve introduction
- Deployment documentation - Clarify bootstrapper deployment scenarios and improve introduction
Extensibility
New articles
- Extending Visual Studio editor with a new tagger
- .NET Companatibilty for VisualStudio.Extensibility Extensions
Updated articles
- Using VisualStudio.Extensibility SDK and VSSDK together - Mark VisualStudio.Extensibility package reference as private assets
- Inside Visual Studio Extensibility SDK - Mark VisualStudio.Extensibility package reference as private assets
- Query the project API (Visual Studio SDK) - Add Solution Open/Close Events to SDK docs
- Project query API concepts - Add queryable space event documentation
- Query the project API (VisualStudio.Extensibility) - Add queryable space event documentation
- Extending the Visual Studio editor - Update for 17.13
- Extending Visual Studio editor with a new CodeLens - Update for 17.13
- VisualStudio.Extensibility settings - Update for 17.13
Get started
Updated articles
- C# development with Visual Studio - Add link for MAUI mobile app
- Tutorial: Add a timer to a math quiz WinForms app - Review and update
IDE
Updated articles
- Troubleshoot GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
- Add report a problem section
- Review and update
- Options, Text Editor, C/C++, Formatting - Updated the C/C++ formatting page to reflect changes in Visual Studio 2022
- Tutorial: Create a Windows Forms app in Visual Studio with C# - Add dock and anchor control link
- Change fonts, colors, and themes in Visual Studio - Add info on themes
- Manage project and solution properties - Fix customer-reported issue
- Deploy GitHub Copilot to existing Visual Studio instances - Review and update (freshness pass)
- Admin controls for GitHub Copilot - Review and update
- Get better answers by setting the context for GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio
- Add Copilot vision
- Copilot updates
- What is the GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio?
- Add Copilot vision
- List Copilot features for git commit and review to doc
- Specify build events (Visual Basic) - Add information about macros, properties
- What's new in Visual Studio 2022 - Update What's New for release Visual Studio 17.13
- What is GitHub Copilot Edits? - Remove preview monikers for Copilot Edits GA
- AI-assisted development in Visual Studio - Copilot updates
- Error List window - Add section for how to disable the window
- Specify build events (C#) - Review and update
- What is Class Designer? - Review and update
- Sign in or switch Visual Studio user accounts - Updates for git onboarding changes coming for sign in in 17.13
- What is GitHub Copilot Completions for Visual Studio? - Add code referencing for completions
- Accessibility tips and tricks for Visual Studio - Review and update
- Identify and customize keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio - Review and update
- Features of the code editor - Review and update
- Add your GitHub accounts to your Visual Studio keychain - Updates for multiple GitHub accounts
- Change the build output directory - Update for Visual Basic using the new project designer for .NET Core
- Configuring warnings in Visual Basic - Visual Basic warnings articles - review and update
- Suppress compiler warnings - Visual Basic warnings articles - review and update
- Compile Page, Project Designer (Visual Basic) - Visual Basic warnings articles - review and update
Install
Updated articles
- Command-line parameter examples for Visual Studio installation - Address user feedback
- Visual Studio workload and component IDs - Update workload and component docs for 17.13
- Install Build Tools into a container - Review and update
- Visual Studio administrator guide - Review and update
- Import or export installation configurations - Review and update
JavaScript
Updated articles
- Manage npm packages in Visual Studio - Add npm support info for MAUI Blazor projects
- Learn to use the code editor for JavaScript - Add content to configure inlay hints for JavaScript and TypeScript
MSBuild
New articles
Updated articles
- Clean a build with MSBuild - Freshness edit: Data Tools and MSBuild articles
- Build multiple projects in parallel with MSBuild - Freshness edit: Data Tools and MSBuild articles
- Run a target exactly once - Apply improved logic for certain scenarios
- Targeting multiple .NET versions in a build
- Add RuntimeIdentifier (RID) section
- Add .NET SDK multitargeting article
- MSBuild error MSB8020 - New guidance for MSBuild error MSB8020
- MSB3283 diagnostic code - Add details for MSB3283
- Work with item functions - Add example for filtering a list
- MSB3106 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB3246 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB3247 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB4036 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB4041 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB4216 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB4278 diagnostic code - Add details for MSBuild errors
- MSB3971 diagnostic code - Add .NET download link
- Customize the build by folder - Review and update
Profiling
New articles
Updated articles
- Which performance tool should I use? (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#) - Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Analyze performance by using CPU profiling in the Performance Profiler (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#)
- Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Add conceptual information for the profiler call tree views
- Add content for multi-process analysis for CPU Usage
- Add more info to open detailed views of the profiling report
- Add additional information about the different views for CPU Usage …
- Analyze memory usage by using the .NET Object Allocation tool - Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Visualize dotnet counters from the Visual Studio profiler - Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Instrument your .NET application in Visual Studio (C#, C++, Visual Basic, F#)
- Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Add conceptual information for the profiler call tree views
- Add more info to open detailed views of the profiling report
- Add additional information about the different views for CPU Usage …
- Add information about instrumenting specific classes and functions for C++
- Add content for async call stacks for the profiler's Instrumentation tool
- Analyze memory usage in release builds (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#) - Add detailed information for CMake project support and updated startup instructions
- Measure application performance from the command line - Add support information related to command-line profiling
- Measure application performance by analyzing CPU utilization (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#) - Add additional information about the different views for CPU Usage …
Test
Updated articles
- Unit test basics - Metadata updates for test, profiling, debugging
- VSTest.Console.exe command-line options - Add logging example to VSTest.Console.exe article
- Customize code coverage analysis
- Add VS requirements for Code Coverage analysis
- Adding docs for IncludeTestAssembly for code coverage runsettings
- Create a data-driven unit test - Update DynamicData documentation around
DynamicDataSourceType
Version control
Updated articles
- Make a Git commit in Visual Studio - List copilot features for git commit and review to doc
Community contributors
The following people contributed to the Visual Studio docs during this period. Thank you! Learn how to contribute by following the links under "Get involved" in the what's new landing page.
- changeworld - Takashi Takebayashi
- HW12Dev -
- PhilKang0704 - Phil
- Rageking8 -
- Youssef1313 - Youssef Victor
January 2025
Code quality
Updated articles
- Code metrics - Maintainability index range and meaning - Add descriptions for color coding related to code quality maintainability index
Debugger
New articles
- Implement NatVis custom intrinsic function for C++
- IDiaDataSourceEx2::findNamedStreams
- IDiaDataSourceEx2
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::Clone
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::get_Count
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::get__NewEnum
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::Next
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::Reset
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams::Skip
- IDiaEnumNamedStreams
Updated articles
- Debug your app with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
- Updates to debugging with Copilot
- Add more details for Copilot debugging features, list of features, and some refactoring
- Attach to running processes with the Visual Studio debugger - Add language configuration for Attach to Process article using zone pivots
- Debug using the Just-In-Time Debugger in Visual Studio - Clarify instructions for disabling JIT debugger
- Adapt to removal of Windows Arm32 .NET debugging - Update Arm32 debugger documentation with UWP deployment steps
- First look at the Visual Studio Debugger - Add more details for Copilot debugging features, list of features, and some refactoring
- Configure Edit and Continue (C#, VB, C++) - Update Hot Reload settings
- Debug ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core apps in Visual Studio
- Add instructions and links to clarify remote debugging scenarios for C# and C++
- Update for Copilot multi-threaded debugging and updates related to ASP.NET Core launch profile default settings
- Remote Debugging
- Add instructions and links to clarify remote debugging scenarios for C# and C++
- Update for Copilot multi-threaded debugging and updates related to ASP.NET Core launch profile default settings
- View threads and tasks in the Parallel Stacks window (C#, Visual Basic, C++) - Update for Copilot multi-threaded debugging and updates related to ASP.NET Core launch profile default settings
- Use the right type of breakpoint - Add language and runtime pivots to profiling articles
- Create custom views of C++ objects in the debugger using the Natvis framework - Add article documenting guidelines for using NatVis Intrinsic expansion
- IDiaDataSource - Document
IDiaEnumNamedStreamsand related interfaces and APIs - IDiaDataSourceEx - Document
IDiaEnumNamedStreamsand related interfaces and APIs - Interfaces (Debug Interface Access SDK) - Document
IDiaEnumNamedStreamsand related interfaces and APIs
Designers
Updated articles
- Model editor - Add note about support changes to MeshContentTask for 3D graphics
- Use 3D assets in your game or app - Add note about support changes to MeshContentTask for 3D graphics
Extensibility
New articles
- Extending Visual Studio editor with a new CodeLens
- Changing text in the editor
- Extending Visual Studio editor with a new margin
- Working with text in the editor
Updated articles
- Editor extensibility concepts - Initial refactor of editor documentation.
- Extending the Visual Studio editor - Initial refactor of editor documentation.
Get started
Updated articles
- Learn to use the code editor - Review and update
- Tutorial: Create a simple C# console app in Visual Studio (part 1 of 2) - Review and update
IDE
New articles
Updated articles
- What is the GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio? - Add more details for Copilot debugging features, list of features, and some refactoring
- Find and replace text in Visual Studio
- Explain more about Replace in Files options
- Review and update
- Compare files in Visual Studio - Add text to explain that you can edit the target file in the usual ways
- Tour the Visual Studio IDE - Freshness update
- Use GitHub Copilot for free in Visual Studio
- Add keyboard shortcut for chat
- Copilot free update
- Tutorial: Create a WinForms app with Visual Basic - Review and update
- IntelliSense in Visual Studio - Review and update
- Tutorial: Create a Windows Forms app in Visual Studio with C# - Review and update
- Save and open files with encoding - Add content for changing the default file encoding
- Change fonts, colors, and themes in Visual Studio - Add info on fonts for UI elements in apps
- Compile and build in Visual Studio - Review and update
- Find in Files Command - Update Find/Replace in Files options for Visual Studio` 2022
- Replace In Files Command - Update Find/Replace in Files options for Visual Studio 2022
Install
Updated articles
- Command-line parameter examples for Visual Studio installation - Add information for UUF verbatim on non-interactive install
JavaScript
Updated articles
- Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with Angular in Visual Studio
- Add content showing final app state for JSTS templates
- Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with React in Visual Studio - Add content showing final app state for JSTS templates
- Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with Vue in Visual Studio - Add content showing final app state for JSTS templates
Modeling
Updated articles
- Analyze and model your architecture - Update analyze-and-model-your-architecture.md
MSBuild
Updated articles
- XmlPoke task - Mention what to do if there's no prefix
- Add details for MSBuild error messages:
- Common MSBuild project items - Document MSBuild support for 'IfDifferent' for 'CopyToOutputDirectory'
Profiling
Updated articles
- Diagnose high latency with CPU Insights - Add more details for Copilot debugging features, list of features, and some refactoring
- Analyze memory usage in release builds (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#)
- Add language and runtime pivots to profiling articles
- Update and clarify Hot paths to root profiling article, SEO edits
- Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
- First look at profiling tools (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#)
- Add language and runtime pivots to profiling articles
- Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
- Analyze hot path to root in the Memory Usage tool - Update and clarify Hot paths to root profiling article, SEO edits
- Measure memory usage in Visual Studio (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#)
- Update and clarify Hot paths to root profiling article, SEO edits
- Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
- Choose a memory analysis tool in Visual Studio (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#) - Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
- Analyze resource consumption and UI thread activity (XAML) - Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
- Run profiling tools on release or debug builds (C#, Visual Basic, C++, F#) - Clarify scenarios for running profiling tools in debug or release builds
Test
Updated articles
- Microsoft.CodeCoverage.Console tool - Clarify instructions and scenarios for Microsoft.CodeCoverage.Console
Version control
Updated articles
- Make a Git commit in Visual Studio
- Add new feature: Custom commit message format
- New feature: Git code review
- Create a pull request in Visual Studio
- Add PR comment feature
- Review and update
- Manage Git repositories in Visual Studio - Add info about when Revert might be disabled
Community contributors
The following people contributed to the Visual Studio docs during this period. Thank you! Learn how to contribute by following the links under "Get involved" in the what's new landing page.
- changeworld - Takashi Takebayashi
- Rageking8 -
- PhilKang0704 - Phil
- stevenwdv -
December 2024
Azure
Updated articles
- Sign in with an Azure subscription
- Add information on chained credentials
- Add note about personal vs. work accounts
Code quality
Updated articles
- Code metrics - Cyclomatic complexity - Update productivity guides
- Visual Studio Code analysis documentation (Windows) - Update productivity guides
Containers
Updated articles
- Docker Compose build properties
- Add property and change table
- Add DependencyAwareStart property
- Tutorial: Create a multi-container app with Docker Compose - Add 17.13 DependencyAwareStart scenario
- Deploy an ASP.NET Core container to Azure App Service using Visual Studio - Add links for Azure Container Apps
- Docker container development tools documentation - Add links for Azure Container Apps
- Visual Studio Container Tools for Docker - Add links for Azure Container Apps
- Launch a subset of Compose services - Review and update
- Quickstart: Docker in Visual Studio - Review and update Container Tools overview
Data tools
Updated articles
- Connect to an Access database in .NET Framework applications - Remove outdated codegen listing in Access database article
- LINQ to SQL tools in Visual Studio - Review and update LINQ to SQL article
- Entity Framework Tools in Visual Studio - Review and update Entity Framework article
- Work with data in Visual Studio - Review and update Accessing Data in VS
Debugger
New articles
Updated articles
- Remote Debugging a C# or Visual Basic project in Visual Studio - Update article on remote debugging C#
- Debug your app with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
- Updates for Copilot Free
- Disable the Just-In-Time Debugger - Add links and more info for disabling ASP.NET applications
- Tutorial: Debug C++ code with Visual Studio - Review and update
- View threads in the Visual Studio debugger (C#, Visual Basic, C++) - Review and update
- Use the right type of breakpoint - Add language pivots to breakpoints article
- Write and debug running code with Hot Reload in Visual Studio (C#, Visual Basic, C++) - Update unit testing JSTS (JavaScript and TypeScript) article for Vitest
- Debug for absolute beginners - Update beginner's guide for Hot Reload changes
- Remote Debugging a C++ Project in Visual Studio - Update article on remote debugging C++
- Get started with breakpoints in the Visual Studio debugger - Clarify instructions for Node.js debugging
Deployment
Updated articles
- ClickOnce deployment and security - Update ClickOnce overview
- Get publish settings from IIS and import into Visual Studio - Review and update date for IIS
.publishsettingtutorial - Deploy your app to a folder, IIS, Azure, or another destination - Add coverage for the WebJobs option
Extensibility
Updated articles
- Sign CLI Reference for VSIX Packages - Add new option (
-ior--interactive)
Get started
Updated articles
- Tutorial: Open a project from a repo
- Add some addl links to help
- Review and update
- Run a C# program or app in Visual Studio - Incorporate peer feedback for "Run a C# program"
- Introduction to projects and solutions - Review and update
- Tutorial: Create a simple Visual Basic console app - Review and update
- Tutorial: Create a WPF application with C# - Review and update
IDE
New articles
Updated articles
- Find code changes and other history with CodeLens - Review and update
- Change text case in the editor - Add link to keyboard shortcuts
- Updates for Copilot Free:
- Use GitHub Copilot for free in Visual Studio
- AI-assisted development in Visual Studio
- Get better answers by setting the context for GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio
- What is the GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio?
- What is GitHub Copilot Completions for Visual Studio?
- Install GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
- .NET Project Designer - Update for Visual Basic now using the .NET Project Designer
- What is the .NET Project Designer? - Update for Visual Basic now using the .NET Project Designer
- Specify build events (Visual Basic) - Update for Visual Studio 2022
- Framework targeting overview - Target multiple frameworks
- Developer Community data privacy - Review and update
- Encodings and line endings - Review and update
- Productivity guide for Visual Studio
- Edit productivity guide
- Update productivity guides
- Visual Studio productivity guide for C# developers - Update productivity guides
- Substitute parameters in a template - Review and update, add clarity that you need an existing template
Install
Updated articles
- Select the installation locations in Visual Studio - Review and update
- Install and use Visual Studio and Azure Services behind a firewall or proxy server - Review and update
JavaScript
Updated articles
- Tutorial: Create a Node.js and Express app in Visual Studio - Review and update
- Compile TypeScript code (Node.js) - Update article on compiling TypeScript with npm and linting JSTS
- Compile TypeScript code (ASP.NET Core) - Update article on compiling TypeScript with npm and linting JSTS
- Linting JavaScript in Visual Studio - Update article on compiling TypeScript with npm and linting JSTS
- Unit testing JavaScript and TypeScript in Visual Studio - Update unit testing JSTS article for Vitest
- Create an Angular project - Update information on configuring project settings for React, Vue, Angular projects
- Create a React project - Update information on configuring project settings for React, Vue, Angular projects
- Create a Vue.js project - Update information on configuring project settings for React, Vue, Angular projects
MSBuild
Updated articles
- Target multiple framework versions and platforms - Modify note for target frameworks
- What's new in MSBuild 17 - Review and update MSBuild What's New
- MSBuild well-known item metadata - Remove implication that there are multiple tables
- Common MSBuild project items - Document Culture/WithCulture metadata
- GenerateResource task - Document Culture/WithCulture metadata
Test
Updated articles
- Customize code coverage analysis - Update code coverage docs
- Microsoft.CodeCoverage.Console tool - Update code coverage docs
- Use code coverage to determine how much code is being tested - Update code coverage docs
- Debug and analyze unit tests by using Test Explorer - Review and update
- Run unit tests by using Test Explorer
- Review and update
- Update unit testing content for configuring test process architecture
- Document behavior for running unit tests in ARM64
- Visual Studio Test Explorer FAQ - Review and update
- Write unit tests for C/C++ in Visual Studio - Review and update, including images for VS2022.
- Configure process architecture for a unit test - Update unit testing content for configuring test process architecture
- Walkthrough: Create and run unit tests for managed code - Update unit testing content for configuring test process architecture
Community contributors
The following people contributed to the Visual Studio docs during this period. Thank you! Learn how to contribute by following the links under "Get involved" in the what's new landing page.
- mkyman - ChrisYoung