Every time I start a new Python project, I install these extensions first.
They cover linting, formatting, debugging, and general workflow, basically the ones that can save you from scrolling through Reddit threads and random blog posts.

Core Python Extensions

• Ruff – Fast linter with built-in isort support.

• Black – Opinionated code formatter for consistent styling.

• Mypy – Static type checking for early bug detection.

• Pylance – Provides IntelliSense, type checking, and better autocompletion.

• Python Indent – Fixes indentation automatically.

Documentation & Debugging

• autoDocstring – Quickly generates docstrings.

• Error Lens – Highlights errors directly in the code.

• Python Debugger (debugpy) – Reliable debugger for Python.

• View Image for Python Debugging – Lets you view image data while debugging.

Environment & Dependency Tools

• pylens (mogami) – Helps track dependency versions.

• Even Better TOML – Syntax highlighting and validation for pyproject.toml.

• Jupyter – For running and testing notebooks inside VS Code.

General Productivity

• GitHub Copilot – AI code suggestions.

• Todo Tree – Lists TODO and FIXME comments in one view.

• CodeSnap – Creates shareable code screenshots.

• file-tree-generator – Generates directory structure automatically.

• Hex Editor / HexInspector – Inspect binary or hex data.

• Live Preview – Real-time preview for web projects.

• Markdown All in One – Shortcuts and features for markdown editing.

• Markdown Preview Enhanced – Live markdown preview with diagram and math support.

If you’re setting up your environment for a new Python project, this list will probably save you an hour of searching Reddit threads titled “best VS Code setup for Python devs.”

That’s all! Just the essentials that actually make a difference.