# Helix vs Visual Studio Code

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Visual Studio Code

| Attribute | Helix | Visual Studio Code |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 41 (39% (low)) | 58.1 (62% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 5 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 72 |
| adoption.github_stars | 46,571 | 193,646 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A terminal-based code editor written in Rust featuring multiple cursors as a core editing primitive, Tree-sitter syntax highlighting, and built-in language server support for IDE-like features. It is indexed under IDEs & Code Editors.","source":"https://helix-editor.com","question":"What is Helix?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Helix is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MPL-2.0 licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://helix-editor.com","question":"Is Helix free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Helix supports a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://helix-editor.com","question":"What platforms does Helix support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Helix can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://helix-editor.com","question":"Can Helix be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Helix is published under the MPL-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix","question":"Is Helix open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"A multi-platform code editor combining traditional editing, debugging, and terminal capabilities with built-in AI agents that research, modify code, run commands, and iterate toward task completion. It is indexed under IDEs & Code Editors.","source":"https://code.visualstudio.com","question":"What is Visual Studio Code?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Visual Studio Code offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://code.visualstudio.com","question":"Is Visual Studio Code free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Visual Studio Code supports the web, Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://code.visualstudio.com","question":"What platforms does Visual Studio Code support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Visual Studio Code can be deployed cloud / SaaS and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://code.visualstudio.com","question":"Can Visual Studio Code be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 5 integrations for Visual Studio Code, including GitHub, Azure Pipelines, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps and MCP servers. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://code.visualstudio.com","question":"What does Visual Studio Code integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Visual Studio Code is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode","question":"Is Visual Studio Code open source?","confidence":0.95}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | A terminal-based code editor written in Rust featuring multiple cursors as a core editing primitive, Tree-sitter syntax highlighting, and built-in language server support for IDE-like features. | Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source editor available on desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and web platforms, supporting dozens of programming languages through its extension marketplace. It features integrated source control, debugging, and AI-powered agent capabilities to automate coding tasks and development workflows. |
| features.capabilities | `{"type":"terminal_editor","lsp_dap":true,"builtin_ai":"none","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"Cross-platform terminal","remote_dev":true,"open_source":"oss","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"config_only","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"polyglot","git_integration":false,"code_intelligence":"lsp_grade","integrated_debugger":false}` | `{"type":"full_ide","lsp_dap":true,"builtin_ai":"native","deployment":"both","os_support":"Windows, macOS, Linux","remote_dev":true,"open_source":"open_core","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"marketplace","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"polyglot","git_integration":true,"code_intelligence":"ide_grade","integrated_debugger":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 6 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"GitHub Actions"},{"name":"GitHub Copilot"},{"name":"Azure Pipelines"},{"name":"GitLab CI"},{"name":"Azure DevOps"},{"name":"MCP servers"},{"name":"Git","native":true,"category":"source_control","direction":"bidirectional"}]` |
| language.primary | Rust | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free, open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://helix-editor.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T23:03:11.895Z"}` | `{"type":"free","summary":"Free and open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://code.visualstudio.com","retrievedAt":"2026-10-15T20:21:51.031Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | free |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 75 | 6 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/25.07.1","date":"2025-07-18T15:13:19Z","type":"stable","version":"25.07.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/25.07","date":"2025-07-15T19:18:05Z","type":"stable","version":"25.07"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/25.01.1","date":"2025-01-19T21:31:02Z","type":"stable","version":"25.01.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/25.01","date":"2025-01-03T20:30:05Z","type":"stable","version":"25.01"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/24.07","date":"2024-07-14T16:53:17Z","type":"stable","version":"24.07"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/24.03","date":"2024-03-30T14:06:45Z","type":"stable","version":"24.03"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/23.10","date":"2023-10-25T17:20:28Z","type":"stable","version":"23.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/23.05","date":"2023-05-18T07:56:01Z","type":"stable","version":"23.05"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/23.03","date":"2023-03-31T09:04:21Z","type":"stable","version":"23.03"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/22.12","date":"2022-12-07T03:56:16Z","type":"stable","version":"22.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/22.08.1","date":"2022-09-01T17:43:43Z","type":"stable","version":"22.08.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/22.08","date":"2022-08-31T17:44:58Z","type":"stable","version":"22.08"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/22.05","date":"2022-05-28T16:39:49Z","type":"stable","version":"22.05"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/22.03","date":"2022-03-29T13:47:14Z","type":"stable","version":"22.03"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.6.0","date":"2022-01-04T10:15:57Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.5.0","date":"2021-10-28T07:58:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.4.1","date":"2021-08-14T04:44:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.4.0","date":"2021-08-12T16:46:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.3.0","date":"2021-06-27T04:42:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/tag/v0.2.1","date":"2021-06-14T16:22:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.2.1"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.142.0","date":"2026-10-14T19:46:12Z","type":"stable","version":"1.142.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.141.2","date":"2026-10-14T14:32:33Z","type":"stable","version":"1.141.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.141.1","date":"2026-10-13T21:53:53Z","type":"stable","version":"1.141.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.141.0","date":"2026-10-07T11:01:16Z","type":"stable","version":"1.141.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.140.0","date":"2026-09-30T22:00:22Z","type":"stable","version":"1.140.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.139.1","date":"2026-09-25T09:58:03Z","type":"stable","version":"1.139.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.139.0","date":"2026-09-23T10:32:34Z","type":"stable","version":"1.139.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.138.0","date":"2026-09-16T07:14:47Z","type":"stable","version":"1.138.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.137.0","date":"2026-09-09T15:32:58Z","type":"stable","version":"1.137.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.136.2","date":"2026-09-08T17:54:34Z","type":"stable","version":"1.136.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.136.1","date":"2026-09-03T15:25:32Z","type":"stable","version":"1.136.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.136.0","date":"2026-09-02T16:18:16Z","type":"stable","version":"1.136.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.135.0","date":"2026-08-26T16:52:46Z","type":"stable","version":"1.135.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.134.0","date":"2026-08-19T09:08:11Z","type":"stable","version":"1.134.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.133.0","date":"2026-08-12T09:41:17Z","type":"stable","version":"1.133.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.132.1","date":"2026-08-11T22:23:22Z","type":"stable","version":"1.132.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.132.0","date":"2026-08-05T09:49:29Z","type":"stable","version":"1.132.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.131.0","date":"2026-07-29T14:07:58Z","type":"stable","version":"1.131.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.130.0","date":"2026-07-22T17:39:17Z","type":"stable","version":"1.130.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/releases/tag/1.129.1","date":"2026-07-17T21:32:58Z","type":"stable","version":"1.129.1"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | - | 7.4 |
| security.trust_center | - | https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agents/run/security |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fhelix-editor%2Fhelix&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40typefox%2Fmonaco-editor-core&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (IDEs & Code Editors)

| Capability | Helix | Visual Studio Code |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Type | Terminal editor | Full IDE |
| Language scope | Polyglot | Polyglot |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Desktop | Both |
| **Platform support** |  |  |
| OS support | Cross-platform terminal | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Base platform | Original | Original |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensibility | Config file only | Extension marketplace |
| **DX** |  |  |
| LSP / DAP support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remote / dev-containers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrated debugger / profiler | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code intelligence depth | LSP-grade | IDE-grade |
| Built-in git integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| **AI** |  |  |
| Built-in AI | None | Native |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Openness | Open-source | Open-core |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-17T05:41:43.328Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*