Visual Studio for Mac is No More – What Now?

Why Did Microsoft End Support for Visual Studio for Mac?

If you're a Mac user who has been relying on Visual Studio Community Edition, you may have recently run into a big change—Microsoft officially retired Visual Studio for Mac as of August 31, 2024. This means no more updates, bug fixes, or official support from Microsoft.

So, why did they do this?

According to Microsoft's official statement (Microsoft Learn), the decision was part of their broader strategy to focus on cross-platform development tools. Instead of maintaining a separate Mac version of Visual Studio, Microsoft is now pushing developers toward Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the C# Dev Kit extension, which brings similar functionality for C# development.

What Does This Mean for Our Course?

Since our C# Masterclass was designed for Visual Studio Community Edition, some of you might be wondering: Can I still follow along if I switch to VS Code?

The short answer is: Yes, you absolutely can! While there are some differences between Visual Studio Community and Visual Studio Code, the core features you'll need for the course—like coding, debugging, and running C# programs—are all available in VS Code with the right setup.

There might be small adjustments along the way, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! If you ever run into any issues, just reach out in the Q&A section, and we'll do our best to help.

Setting Up Visual Studio Code for C# on Mac

Since Visual Studio Community is no longer an option on macOS, here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to setting up VS Code for C# development so you can continue the course smoothly.

1. Install Visual Studio Code

First, you need to download and install VS Code:

Head over to the official VS Code website and download the macOS version.
Once downloaded, open the .zip file and drag Visual Studio Code.app into your Applications folder.
Open VS Code to make sure it launches properly.

2. Install the .NET SDK (Required for C#)

To write and run C# programs, you need to have the .NET SDK (Software Development Kit) installed. This allows you to compile and run C# applications.

Go to the official .NET SDK download page.
Download the latest stable version for macOS.
Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
To confirm that the installation was successful, open Terminal and type:
```
dotnet --version
```
If you see a version number, you’re good to go!

3. Install the C# Dev Kit Extension in VS Code

To make VS Code work well with C#, you need the C# Dev Kit extension. This extension adds debugging tools, IntelliSense, and other features that make coding in C# much easier.

Open VS Code.
Click on the Extensions icon on the left sidebar (or press ⇧⌘X).
Search for C# Dev Kit and click Install.
While you’re at it, also install:
- .NET Runtime & Debugging Extension Pack
- C# Extensions (for better IntelliSense and auto-completion)

4. Create Your First C# Project in VS Code

Now that everything is installed, let’s create your first C# project:

Open Terminal and navigate to the folder where you want to create your project. Example:
```
mkdir CSharpMasterclass
cd CSharpMasterclass
```
Run the following command to create a new console app:
```
dotnet new console
```
Open the project in VS Code:
```
code .
```
This will launch VS Code with your new project.

5. Running and Debugging Your C# Code

Open the Program.cs file in VS Code.
To run the program, open the integrated Terminal (`Ctrl+``) and type:
```
dotnet run
```
To debug, set a breakpoint (click in the gutter next to the line number) and press F5 to start debugging.

That's it! You now have a fully functional C# development setup on macOS using VS Code.

How Different is VS Code from Visual Studio Community?

While VS Code is not a full replacement for Visual Studio Community, it comes pretty close when it comes to writing and running C# code. Here’s a breakdown of some key differences:

Full IDE Experience: Visual Studio Community is a complete development environment, while VS Code is a lightweight code editor with extensibility.
Debugging Support: Both tools support debugging, but VS Code requires the C# Dev Kit extension.
IntelliSense: Both offer IntelliSense, but VS Code may require additional extensions for the best experience.
Built-in GUI Designer: Visual Studio Community has built-in tools for designing user interfaces, while VS Code does not. If you're building UI applications like WPF or Xamarin, you may need an alternative solution.
Cross-Platform Support: VS Code runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, while Visual Studio Community is only available for Windows (now that Mac support is gone).

If your goal is purely C# development, VS Code will work just fine. However, if you need UI development (like Windows Forms, WPF, or Xamarin), you’ll need to explore alternatives (such as using a Windows VM or different tools).

Final Thoughts

We know this transition might feel a bit frustrating, especially if you were already comfortable with Visual Studio Community Edition on Mac. But the good news is that VS Code is lightweight, fast, and fully capable of handling C# development with the right extensions.

If you run into any problems setting up VS Code for C#, feel free to ask questions in the Q&A section of the course. We’re happy to help you make the transition as smooth as possible!

Happy coding! 🚀