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Get the tools needed to write Visual Studio extensions

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To write extensions you have to install the extensibility workload. That's technically all you need, but this set of documentation makes use of the community driven extension called Extensibility Essentials. Each version of Visual Studio has its own version: Extensibility Essentials 2019 or Extensibility Essentials 2022.

The following video introduces the tools you'll need.

Install extensibility workload

To open the Visual Studio Installer, choose Tools, and then choose Get Tools and Features.... Then install the Visual Studio extension development workload.

VS Installer showing the extensibility workload.

Install Extensibility Essentials

To install the Extensibility Essentials, choose Extensions, choose Manage Extensions and then search for extensibility.

Install Extensibility Essentials from the Extension Manager dialog.

That's it, you are now ready to start developing your first extension.