Visual Studio Code vs IntelliJ IDEA

by Gralio Apr 23, 2025

Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA are powerful code editors catering to different needs. VS Code offers versatility and affordability, while IntelliJ IDEA provides specialized features and performance for Java/Kotlin development. Choose VS Code for budget-conscious users or diverse language support. Choose IntelliJ IDEA if Java/Kotlin is your focus and top-tier performance is crucial.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 7266 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 16 hours, 52 minutes of reading.

Logo of Visual Studio Code
Logo of IntelliJ IDEA

About

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free code editor by Microsoft for building modern web and cloud applications. Available on Linux, Mac OSX, and Windows, it supports nearly every major programming language. VS Code features syntax highlighting, code refactoring, a built-in terminal, and version control integration. A vast library of extensions allows users to customize the editor for specific workflows and programming languages.
IntelliJ IDEA is a software development tool made by JetBrains, specifically for Java and Kotlin programming languages. It's designed to make programmers more efficient with features that help with coding, project organization, and error detection. What sets it apart is its focus on anticipating what a programmer needs next, offering suggestions and automating tasks to speed up the development process.

Summary

Main difference
Visual Studio Code is a free, versatile code editor supporting a wide range of languages and extensions, ideal for diverse development needs. IntelliJ IDEA is a paid IDE specializing in Java and Kotlin, offering advanced features and better performance for larger projects, best suited for professional Java/Kotlin developers.

Relative strengths of Visual Studio Code (compared to IntelliJ IDEA)

  • Free and open-source, offering a cost-effective solution for individual developers and small teams.

  • Extensive extension library allows for customization and integration with various tools and technologies.

  • Supports a broader range of programming languages, making it versatile for diverse projects.

Relative weaknesses of Visual Studio Code (compared to IntelliJ IDEA)

  • Can experience performance issues with larger projects or excessive extensions.

  • Debugging capabilities, while present, are generally less powerful than IntelliJ IDEA's specialized tools for Java/Kotlin.

  • Initial setup and extension management can be time-consuming for new users.

Who should use Visual Studio Code VS. IntelliJ IDEA

Visual Studio Code is a versatile, free code editor ideal for developers of all skill levels. Its extensive library of extensions allows for customization and enhanced functionality. Users praise VS Code's user-friendly interface, Git integration, and debugging tools, while some note occasional performance issues with larger projects or multiple extensions.

IntelliJ IDEA is a powerful IDE for Java and Kotlin developers in medium to large businesses, especially those in the software and IT industries. Users praise its smart code completion, debugging tools, and Git integration. However, some experience high RAM usage and slow startup times. If these trade-offs are acceptable, IntelliJ IDEA can significantly boost developer productivity.

  • Ideal for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises.

  • Best fit for software development and IT businesses, but adaptable to other tech-related fields.

  • Ideal for medium to large companies (101+ employees).

  • Best fit for software development and IT businesses.

Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • IntelliSense-style code completion
    Supported

    VS Code supports IntelliSense for SQL with the mssql extension.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA supports IntelliSense for SQL, including keywords, database objects, and variables.

  • AI-Powered Code Editing
    Supported

    VS Code supports AI-powered code editing via GitHub Copilot, including generating, completing, and debugging assistance.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA supports AI-powered code editing for generation, completion, and debugging.

  • Built-in Debugger
    Supported

    VS Code has a built-in debugger, especially for Node.js, and supports other languages via extensions.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA has a built-in debugger in the editor.

  • Code snippets
    Supported

    VS Code supports code snippets natively and via extensions.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA supports code snippets via its Live Templates feature and extensions like Code Snippets and Codiga.

  • Autocompletion
    Supported

    VS Code supports autocompletion via its IntelliSense feature.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA supports autocompletion as you type, with basic and advanced options.

  • Code navigation
    Supported

    VS Code offers robust code navigation with features like Outline View, symbol search, and Go To Definition.

    Supported

    IntelliJ IDEA offers robust code navigation features like "Go to", "Structure" tool window, and method separators.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    +0.89
    Strongly positive sentiment
    -0.25
    Neutral sentiment
  • Customer Service
    +0.71
    Strongly positive sentiment
    No data
  • Ease of Use
    +0.9
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.91
    Strongly positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0
    Neutral sentiment
    -0.03
    Neutral sentiment
  • Ease of Implementation
    +0.65
    Rather positive sentiment
    +0.25
    Neutral sentiment
  • Scalability
    +0.18
    Neutral sentiment
    -0.64
    Rather negative sentiment

Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA Pricing

Visual Studio Code is free to use. The source code is available under the MIT license agreement at https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/main/LICENSE.txt.

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+0.89

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Neutral
-0.25
We couldn't find a pricing page for IntelliJ IDEA.

Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA review insights

7265 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • Extensive library of extensions provides wide-ranging customization and functionality enhancements.
  • User-friendly interface with customizable themes, keyboard shortcuts, and layout.
  • Excellent Git integration simplifies version control and collaboration.
  • Built-in debugging tools and IntelliSense enhance code development and troubleshooting.
  • Supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks.
  • Excellent code completion and IntelliSense, highly praised.
  • Powerful debugging tools, including expression evaluation and conditional breakpoints.
  • Extensive plugin ecosystem and support for various languages and frameworks.
  • User-friendly interface with customizable themes and shortcuts.
  • Seamless Git integration, with visual tools for version control.

Users dislike

  • Performance issues, especially with larger projects or multiple extensions can cause slowdowns or crashes.
  • Occasional bugs and glitches with extensions can disrupt workflow.
  • Frequent updates can be disruptive, sometimes requiring restarts and extension adjustments.
  • Initial setup and configuration can be time-consuming for new users, especially regarding language support and extensions.
  • High RAM usage, frequently reported, especially with multiple projects or emulators.
  • Slow startup and indexing, particularly for large projects.
  • High cost for the Ultimate edition, a barrier for some users.
  • Occasional crashes and freezing issues.
  • Limited features in the Community edition, especially for Spring and web development.

Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ IDEA Ratings

  • G2
    4.7/5
    (2322)
  • Capterra
    4.8/5
    (1597)
  • G2
    4.6/5
    (2153)
  • Capterra
    4.7/5
    (1193)
  • Glassdoor
    4.3/5
    (251)

Company health

Employee growth

1% decrease in the last year
10% increase in the last year

Web traffic

2% decrease in the last quarter
3% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

June 2022 - $1M
No data

How does IntelliJ IDEA's focus on Java/Kotlin affect non-Java projects?

While IntelliJ IDEA excels with Java and Kotlin projects, its focus on these languages can impact non-Java projects. Certain features and optimizations might primarily benefit Java/Kotlin development, potentially leaving other languages with less robust support. While IntelliJ IDEA does support other languages through plugins, the core experience might not be as seamlessly integrated or as feature-rich as it is for Java/Kotlin.

Which IDE better handles large projects and avoids performance issues?

Visual Studio Code, while generally performant, has known issues with larger projects and numerous extensions leading to slowdowns and crashes. IntelliJ IDEA also suffers from performance issues related to high RAM usage and slow startup times for large projects, but its architecture and dedicated features for refactoring and code analysis may give it a slight edge for managing complex codebases, despite the higher resource demands. Therefore, neither IDE clearly avoids performance issues with large projects, requiring careful management of extensions (VS Code) or resources (IntelliJ IDEA).

What are the advantages of Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code's primary advantage is its cost-effectiveness, being free and open-source, unlike IntelliJ IDEA which has a paid version. VS Code also boasts a broader range of supported programming languages through its extensive extension library, making it more versatile for diverse projects. User reviews highlight VS Code's user-friendly interface and excellent Git integration as key strengths.

What are the disadvantages of Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code's disadvantages include potential performance issues with larger projects or extensive extension usage, occasional bugs or glitches arising from extensions, disruptive frequent updates necessitating restarts and adjustments, and a potentially time-consuming initial setup and configuration process for new users, particularly concerning language support and extensions.

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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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