VSCodium

ApplicationVSCodium

Also called codium, vs codium

VSCodiumProductivity

A telemetry-free build of the VS Code source without Microsoft branding or the Microsoft Marketplace. The process is VSCodium.exe. It is not Visual Studio Code.

What you need to know

VSCodium.exe is the telemetry-free build. Code.exe is Microsoft VS Code.

VSCodium rebuilds the VS Code source without Microsoft branding or telemetry. Visual Studio Code is Code.exe from Microsoft. Cursor.exe is Anysphere. Windsurf.exe is a different AI editor. devenv.exe is Visual Studio.

What is it?: Telemetry-free VS Code build
Is it VS Code?: No. Code.exe is Microsoft
Marketplace?: Open VSX by default, not Microsoft

Feex says

If VSCodium.exe is busy, I would disable extensions inside VSCodium. I would not uninstall Visual Studio Code to quiet this process. Code.exe is Microsoft. This window is the community build.

What is VSCodium?

VSCodium is a community build of the VS Code source with Microsoft telemetry and branding removed. It is not Visual Studio Code, not Visual Studio, and not Cursor.

If you have never used it

If you want the VS Code editor without Microsoft telemetry and branding, VSCodium is that build. Download it from vscodium.com. VSCodium.exe is this product. Code.exe is Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Extensions usually come from Open VSX, not the Microsoft Marketplace. Cursor and Windsurf are AI forks with different vendors.

What is it used for?

Edit a folder of code

A VS Code-like workspace. Settings live under VSCodium, not under Microsoft VS Code.

Extensions from Open VSX

The default gallery is not the Microsoft Marketplace. Some Microsoft-owned extensions will not install here.

No Microsoft telemetry branding

That is the point of this build. Cursor adds AI and a different exe. Code.exe is Microsoft's branded build.

Who is it for?

People who want a VS Code-like editor without Microsoft's build
Users who must not confuse VSCodium.exe with Code.exe
Anyone comparing it with Cursor or Windsurf, which are AI products on the same family of UI

Current status

VSCodium (2018) is a current code editor from VSCodium. The vendor still points Windows users at https://vscodium.com/.

How old is it?

VSCodium started in 2018 after VS Code (2015) as a community binary. It tracks upstream VS Code. It is not an AI editor like Cursor (2023) or Windsurf (2024). Microsoft's official build remains Code.exe.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

VSCodium stable

Insiders-style community builds

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, matching current VS Code-class editors
RAM	1 GB class editors run. Language servers want more

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
VSCodium.exe	VSCodium editor

Startup components

VSCodium can reopen the last folder. That is session restore, not a Microsoft service.

File locations

Common VSCodium locations
Typical install	C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\Programs\VSCodium\

File formats

Many via extensionsJSONMarkdown

Common problems

An extension missing from Open VSX

The Microsoft Marketplace is not the default here. That is expected. Code.exe can still install that Microsoft extension.

People close Code.exe to stop VSCodium

Two installs. Programs\VSCodium is this article. Microsoft VS Code is Code.exe.

Getting unstuck

Open file location on VSCodium.exe versus Code.exe

VSCodium is the community build. Microsoft VS Code is the other folder.

Install from vscodium.com or the GitHub releases

A VSCodium pack on a random host is junk. The project hosts the real builds.

Do not expect every Microsoft Marketplace extension

Open VSX is the usual gallery. Cursor's AI features are not this product either.

Alternatives

Visual Studio Code if you want Microsoft's build and Marketplace. Cursor or Windsurf if you want a built-in AI editor. Neovim if you want a terminal editor.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	vscodium.com/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	github.com/VSCodium/vscodium Vendor support
Official site	vscodium.com/ Start here, not a random exe host
VSCodium GitHub	github.com/VSCodium/vscodium Releases, issues, and how it differs from Code

Related hardware

SSD and RAM help large repos. Same class of need as VS Code. A GPU is not required.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

VSCodium official site · Vendor product page
VSCodium help · Vendor support
VSCodium project · What the build removes versus Microsoft VS Code
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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