Systems Review

🧩 Systems: Why My Setup Matters

Heads Up: This project assumes you're on a Mac (that's what I use in my everyday!). If you're using Windows 🪟 or Linux 🐧, your experience might differ slightly—definitely let me know if you hit any weird roadblocks!

Why Systems?

Not all developer setups are created equal! "System" means more than just a laptop—it's your operating system, hardware, and, just as crucial, your IDE (the app you write code in). Why do I care? Because every system changes:

• How you install tools 🔧
• How code runs 🚦
• What features you get out-of-the-box 🎁

A setup that works on my MacBook might act differently on a Windows machine or inside a fancy cloud dev box.

🧙‍♂️ If you're rocking Ubuntu or another Linux flavor—major kudos for running in true power-user mode!

IDEs: My Developer Sidekick 👾

The tools you use to write code—IDEs—can make or break your workflow. Here’s what I use and why:

• VS Code Insiders: My main daily driver for Copilot, with all the freshest (and sometimes wildest) AI features.
• VS Code (Regular): If you’re using Insiders, you absolutely need to keep the standard version installed too!

  Insiders gives you those hot-off-the-presses features and updates daily, but stability isn’t guaranteed. When Insiders gets wonky or a plugin update goes sideways, the regular release is my rock-solid backup. Think of it as your safety net for when you need to actually get things done, not just play with the latest toys.

• IntelliJ IDEA & Eclipse: These are the go-to IDEs for serious Java work. IntelliJ is just a delight if you live and breathe Java.

  Now, if you’re a hardcore Java dev and still want to squeeze every bit of Copilot goodness into your workflow, making the jump to VS Code Insiders can be a smart move. It’s not as magical as IntelliJ, but paired with a tool like sdkman, you can self-manage your Java environments with surprising flexibility. The initial setup takes some extra effort, but trust me, it’s 100% worth it if you’re curious about the AI side!

• See the IDE Comparison for the full emoji-powered breakdown!

Pro tip: If you’re testing the wildest new features (like Copilot experiments), you'll want both VS Code and VS Code Insiders installed. Why? See the VS Code vs. VS Code Insiders page for the “why-both?” argument.

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🤺 Which Dev Sidekick Should You Pick?

Feature	VS Code 💻	VS Code Insiders 🧪	IntelliJ IDEA ☕	Eclipse 🦋
Copilot Support	✔️	🥇 Full + Preview	Limited	⚠️ New
JavaScript Support	🥇 Top Notch	🥇 Top Notch	Good	Okay
Java Support	Good	Good	🥇 Best	Good
Python Support	🥇 Top Notch	🥇 Top Notch	Good	Okay
Plugin Marketplace	Huge	Huge	Large	Decent
Free to Use	Always	Always	Community Free	Always
Stability	Rock Solid	Bleeding Edge ⚠️	Stable	Stable-ish
Copilot Chat (built-in)	✔️	✔️ (more features)	Plugin	Plugin
Release Cadence	Regular	Daily/Weekly	Regular	Regular
Best For	JS/TS, Python, All	Power Users, AI	Java, Kotlin	Java

Note: “Copilot Support” includes chat, inline, and latest beta features.

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💕 VS Code vs. VS Code Insiders

What's the Difference?

• VS Code: The “official,” super-stable version that gets updates every month or so.
• VS Code Insiders: The “beta” (or, let’s be real, spicy experimental) version that updates daily with all the shiny new features before they go mainstream.

Why Does It Matter?

• Bleeding Edge Features:
  • Insiders gets Copilot updates and experimental stuff first—sometimes weeks or months ahead.
  • If you want every Copilot trick in the book, Insiders is where you’ll find it.
• Risk:
  • More frequent bugs, occasional crashes, and sometimes a plugin or Copilot update breaks your workflow.
  • Solution? Install both! Run regular VS Code for reliability, Insiders for new hotness.

Should I Use Both?

Absolutely, if you:

• Want the best Copilot experience 😎
• Are cool with “risky business” moments 🚨
• Need a backup when something breaks

⚠️ Be Careful: Some settings and extensions are shared between the two. Back up your config if you tweak a lot!