{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "vs-code",
            "name": "Visual Studio Code",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://code.visualstudio.com/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/vs-code",
            "tagline": "Free code editor with built-in Git, terminal and a large extension marketplace",
            "summary": "Visual Studio Code is a free code editor from Microsoft for Windows, macOS and Linux, with a browser version as well. Its source code is published on GitHub under the MIT license, and extensions add languages, debuggers and tools.",
            "developer": "Microsoft",
            "platforms": [
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "linux",
                "web"
            ],
            "pricing": "free",
            "price_note": "Free to download and use; official builds use Microsoft's product license",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "MIT",
            "source": "https://github.com/microsoft/vscode",
            "strengths": [
                "Free to download and use",
                "Large extension marketplace",
                "Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Many features depend on third-party extensions",
                "Official builds use Microsoft's product license, not MIT"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Visual Studio Code is a lightweight editor with an integrated terminal, Git source control, task runner and debugger. Most language support and framework tooling comes from extensions in its marketplace, so a setup can stay small or grow to cover many languages. The same editor runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Visual Studio Code Web runs it in a browser.\n\nThe source is MIT-licensed on GitHub, but Microsoft's official builds are distributed under its own product license, so the free download and the open-source code differ in license terms. VS Code suits developers who work across many languages in one editor. Full IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA and Visual Studio go deeper into one stack but start heavier."
        },
        {
            "slug": "xcode",
            "name": "Xcode",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://developer.apple.com/xcode/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/xcode",
            "tagline": "Apple's IDE for apps on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS",
            "summary": "Xcode is Apple's development environment for macOS, used to build apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS and watchOS. It is free on the Mac App Store, and submitting apps to the App Store needs an Apple Developer Program membership.",
            "developer": "Apple",
            "platforms": [
                "macos"
            ],
            "pricing": "free",
            "price_note": "Free on the Mac App Store; App Store publishing needs Developer Program membership",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Free download from the Mac App Store",
                "Official tools for all Apple platforms"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Runs only on macOS, not Windows or Linux",
                "Publishing needs an Apple Developer Program membership"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Xcode is the official IDE for Apple platforms. It builds and debugs apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS and watchOS, and includes tools such as an Accessibility Inspector. Apple lists it as free on the Mac App Store, and a free Apple Account is enough to run and test apps on an Apple device.\n\nXcode runs only on macOS, so it suits Apple-platform work and is not an option for Windows or Linux developers. Publishing to the App Store requires membership in the Apple Developer Program. For editing code outside Apple's platforms, a general code editor such as VS Code or Zed is a better fit."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Only Visual Studio Code runs on Windows.",
        "Only Visual Studio Code runs on Linux.",
        "Only Visual Studio Code runs on Web.",
        "Visual Studio Code is open source; Xcode is not."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "code-editors-and-ides",
            "name": "Code editors and IDEs",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/code-editors-and-ides",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "vs-code",
                    "rank": 1,
                    "score": 94.5,
                    "verdict": "Free, widely used and extensible, with an integrated terminal, Git tools and a large extension marketplace. Its source is MIT-licensed on GitHub, though the official build uses Microsoft's product license.",
                    "best_for": "Multi-language work in one free editor",
                    "spec": {
                        "focus": "Many languages through extensions",
                        "platforms": "Windows, macOS, Linux, web",
                        "open_source": true,
                        "cost": "Free"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "xcode",
                    "rank": 8,
                    "score": 82.5,
                    "verdict": "The official IDE for Apple platforms and the only option here for building iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS apps. It runs only on macOS, and publishing needs an Apple Developer Program membership.",
                    "best_for": "Apple platform apps on macOS",
                    "spec": {
                        "focus": "Apple platform apps",
                        "platforms": "macOS",
                        "open_source": false,
                        "cost": "Free"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "vs-code",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/vs-code-vs-xcode",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/vs-code-vs-xcode.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}