You can now run VS Code anywhere, even on your iPhone!

Zainul — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:33:34 +0000

Most developers think of Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as a desktop-only app. You download it, install updates, and keep it open while you code. But here’s something many people don’t realize: you can now run VS Code on any device, including your iPhone or iPad, straight from your browser.

This is possible because VS Code is now available as a Progressive Web App (PWA) - and yes, it works surprisingly well.

What’s a PWA and why it matters

A Progressive Web App is a web application that behaves like a native app. You can install it directly from your browser, it works offline, and it updates automatically. PWAs also launch from your home screen and feel just like any other installed app.

Some quick reasons PWAs are awesome:

No app store required
No manual updates
Lighter than native apps
Works across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux

In short, PWAs let you use your favorite tools anywhere without the friction of traditional installs.

How to run VS Code and VS Code Insiders as PWAs

Microsoft has quietly made this possible through two official web apps:

Both versions can be installed as PWAs and launched like native apps.

Here’s how to set it up:

Open vscode.dev or insiders.vscode.dev in your browser.
Click the “Install App” icon that appears in the address bar.
That’s it! Now you can launch VS Code directly from your desktop or home screen.

If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, open it in Safari, tap the Share icon, and select “Add to Home Screen.” You’ll get a VS Code icon that opens a fully functional coding environment.

Both versions work offline, support GitHub integration, and are ideal for quick edits or coding sessions on the go.

You can also find both in PWA Store, listed as Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio Code Insiders.

Other trending PWAs you should try

If you think running VS Code as a PWA is impressive, check out some other popular installable web apps from PWA Store:

Monkeytype – A clean, highly customizable typing test to improve your speed and accuracy.
Wavemaker Cards – A creative writing suite with mind maps, timelines, and project planning tools.
Clara – A gentle space for mental health journaling and community support.
Photopea – A full-featured online photo editor that feels like Photoshop in your browser.
Tower Game – A simple, addictive block-stacking game that runs offline.
Zoom – Join or host meetings instantly without any downloads.
OpenStreetMap – Explore and contribute to the world’s open map project.

You can explore thousands more at PWA Store, all installable in a single click.

Why this shift matters

PWAs are quietly changing how we use software. They remove friction: no app stores, no large downloads, and no forced updates. You just open your browser, install once, and it’s always ready.

VS Code is a great example of what’s possible now - a full coding environment that runs anywhere, from any device. Combine that with tools like Monkeytype or Photopea, and you start to see how the web is becoming a true application platform.

If you haven’t tried a PWA yet, start with VS Code on PWA Store or VS Code Insiders and see how far the web has come.

Installing Flutter 2.0 on MacOS(Big Sur)

Zainul — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 23:17:19 +0000

I've been through the pain of installing flutter recently. Theres almost no resources online that is up-to-date.

This is article would get you started with Flutter 2.0 right away.

Install Homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Pick one. I personally use VS code.

brew install --cask android-studio

OR

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Use Homebrew to install asdf, Android SDK, haxm and JDK8.

brew install asdf
brew install android-sdk
brew install intel-haxm
brew install --cask homebrew/cask-versions/adoptopenjdk8

Add the plugin for dart, flutter and ruby to asdf.

asdf plugin-add dart https://github.com/patoconnor43/asdf-dart.git
asdf plugin-add flutter
asdf plugin-add ruby https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf-ruby.git

Now you can install dart, flutter and ruby with asdf.

asdf install dart latest
asdf install flutter latest
asdf install ruby latest

Take note of the installed versions by running this:

asdf list dart
asdf list flutter
asdf list ruby

Run the following in order to set the global runtimes.
NOTE: Please replace my version with your results from the previous part.

asdf global dart 2.12.4
asdf global flutter 2.0.4-stable
asdf global ruby 3.0.1

Lets put everything together and set things up.

Open up your bash or zsh rc file

vim $HOME/.zshrc

Add the following into your rc file in order to allow your system to run the flutter command so it is able to locate your Android SDK.
NOTE: replace 'zainulcain' with your own username

export PATH="$PATH:/Users/zainulcain/.asdf/installs/flutter/2.0.4-stable/bin"
export ANDROID_SDK_ROOT="/usr/local/share/android-sdk"

press [esc], save and exit your rc file by typing ':wq'

Next you'll need to set up cocoapods.

sudo gem install cocoapods
pod setup

Lets accept the iOS and Android Licenses

iOS License

sudo xcodebuild -license

Android License

touch ~/.android/repositories.cfg
flutter doctor --android-licenses
sdkmanager --update
sdkmanager "platform-tools" "platforms;android-29” "build-tools;28.0.3"
flutter config --android-sdk /usr/local/share/android-sdk

Congratulations ! If you've done everything correctly, you can run this to confirm that everything is in working order.

flutter doctor -v

If you've enjoyed this, do give me a follow for more interesting articles :)

DEV Community: Zainul