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.

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 IDiaEnumNamedStreams and related interfaces and APIs
• IDiaDataSourceEx - Document IDiaEnumNamedStreams and related interfaces and APIs
• Interfaces (Debug Interface Access SDK) - Document IDiaEnumNamedStreams and 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

• What is GitHub Copilot Edits (Preview)?

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:
  • MSB3103: Invalid Resx file
  • MSB3202
  • MSB3245
  • MSB3248 diagnostic code
  • MSB3249 diagnostic code
  • MSB4066 diagnostic code
  • MSB4186 diagnostic code
  • MSB4211 diagnostic code
  • MSB4248 diagnostic code
• 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 -
• cdpark - CD Park
• 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

• Adapt to removal of Windows Arm32 .NET debugging

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 .publishsetting tutorial
• 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 (-i or --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

• Use GitHub Copilot for free in Visual Studio

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

November 2024

Azure

Updated articles

• Sign in with an Azure subscription - Link to tenant filtering

Debugger

New articles

• Get started with breakpoints in the Visual Studio debugger
• IDiaStackWalkHelper::addressForVA
• IDiaStackWalkHelper::getFunctionFragmentsForVA
• IDiaStackWalkHelper::getNumberOfFunctionFragmentsForVA

Updated articles

• Use the right type of breakpoint
  • Add link to breakpoints article for new users
  • Refactor breakpoints article and incorporate review feedback
  • Add information on export and import of breakpoint groups
• FAQ - Debugger feature finder - Refactor breakpoints article and incorporate review feedback
• View and change variable values with data tips in the code editor - Refactor breakpoints article and incorporate review feedback
• Attach to a process running on a Docker container - Updates for Attach to Process for Docker with WSL scenarios
• Use the Memory windows in the Visual Studio debugger (C#, C++, Visual Basic, F#) - Update article on Memory windows
• IDiaSymbol::get_value - Update example usage for IDiaSymbol::get_value
• Remote Debug ASP.NET on a Remote IIS Computer - Add security information to remote debugging IIS articles
• Remote Debug ASP.NET Core on a Remote IIS Computer in Visual Studio - Add security information to remote debugging IIS articles
• Remote Debug ASP.NET Core on IIS using an Azure VM from Visual Studio - Add security information to remote debugging IIS articles
• Debug your app with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio - Add Copilot content for Quick Actions light bulb
• Pass command-line arguments while debugging (C++) - fix title
• Inspect variables in the Autos and Locals windows - Update debugger content for viewing return values
• First look at the Visual Studio Debugger - Update debugger content for viewing return values
• Tabular visualizers in Visual Studio - Add information about IntelliSense for IEnumerable visualizer
• IDiaStackWalkHelper::pdataForVA - Add docs for 3 missing IDiaStackWalkHelper functions
• IDiaStackWalkHelper - Add docs for 3 missing IDiaStackWalkHelper functions
• SymTagEnum - Fix broken links due to improper code escapes

Deployment

Updated articles

• First look at deployment in Visual Studio - Review and update
• Visual Studio Installer Projects Extension and .NET - Update .NET installer projects article

Extensibility

Updated articles

• Use Visual Studio editor extensibility
  • Fix missing and incorrect links
  • Add 17.12 documentation to VisualStudio.Extensibility
• Sign CLI Reference for VSIX Packages - VSIX Signing: fix Sign CLI examples
• Overview - Add 17.12 documentation to VisualStudio.Extensibility
• Write to the Visual Studio output window
  • Add 17.12 documentation to VisualStudio.Extensibility
  • Updating docs for VS.Extensibility output window in 17.12

IDE

Updated articles

• What is Class Designer? - Update/fix class designer instructions
• Quick Actions
  • Add Copilot content for Quick Actions light bulb
  • Add instruction for invoking quick actions, refactor
• What's new in Visual Studio 2022 - Update for 17.12
• Find code changes and other history with CodeLens - Add instructions for showing file-level indicators for CodeLens
• Code style preferences - Clarify code cleanup instructions
• Create, work with, and delete Visual Studio projects and solutions - Add new copy between Visual Studio instances features
• Get better answers by setting the context for GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio - Add guided chat experience for 17.12
• Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt and Developer PowerShell - Update project location instructions
• What is the GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio? - Add code referencing update
• Configure trust settings for files and folders - Add Visual Studio 17.12 feature motw
• Find in Files - Update Find in Files for 17.12 for refresh and modify options
• Use Visual Studio search - Update for 17.12 for new All In One Search features
• Error List window - Copy from error list: feature update for 17.12
• Fonts and Colors, Environment, Options dialog box - Add collapsible text indicators to table
• Change fonts, colors, and themes in Visual Studio - Preserve font settings across themes
• Sign in to Visual Studio with accounts that require multifactor authentication (MFA) - Add access denied text

JavaScript

Updated articles

• MSBuild reference for the JavaScript Project System - Update example code for ShouldRunBuildScript in JS projects
• Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with Angular in Visual Studio - Add links related to publish output for ASP.NET Core and JSTS
• Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with React in Visual Studio
  • Add links related to publish output for ASP.NET Core and JSTS
  • Updates for JS project templates related to Vite CLI
• Tutorial: Create an ASP.NET Core app with Vue in Visual Studio
  • Add links related to publish output for ASP.NET Core and JSTS
  • Updates for JS project templates related to Vite CLI

MSBuild

Updated articles

• Task writing - Add section with link to packaging info
• MSBuild - Review and update

Profiling

Updated articles

• Visualize dotnet counters from the Visual Studio profiler - Add content for .NET Meters histogram tool

Test

Updated articles

• Debug and analyze unit tests with Test Explorer - Add content for debugging unit tests with Copilot

Version control

Updated articles

• Make a Git commit in Visual Studio - Add note about rename notification
• Create a Git repository from Visual Studio - Updates for 17.12 support for internal repo
• About Git in Visual Studio - Add doc for Copy GitHub Permalink feature

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.

• Michael-K-Stein - Michael Kuperfish Steinberg
• alexravenna - Alex Ravenna
• cathei - Maxwell Keonwoo Kang
• PhilKang0704 - Phil
• prasoonpankaj - Prasoon Pankaj
• saranshsaini - Saransh Saini