VS Code deactivates IntelliCode in favor of the paid Copilot

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

What’s Actually Being Removed

  • Multiple comments clarify the distinction:
    • IntelliCode (the AI-assisted completion extension using local models) is being deactivated.
    • IntelliSense (traditional, non-AI, language-server-based completion and navigation) remains free and active.
  • Some note IntelliCode had tens of millions of downloads, so its removal is not niche.

Perceived Microsoft Strategy & Trust

  • Many see this as classic Microsoft behavior: bait with free features, then nudge users toward paid services, likened to “enshittification” and earlier Visual Studio/.NET/SQL bundling games.
  • Copilot is described as central to Microsoft’s strategy, with speculation about internal adoption targets driving such moves.
  • Broader frustration that Copilot/AI is being pushed into everything (Windows, Office, Edge, Notepad, GitHub, etc.).

User Impact and Reactions

  • Users who liked a free, local, lightweight AI helper resent its removal in favor of a cloud-paid option.
  • Others say they never used IntelliCode and don’t mind, prompting pushback that “not affecting me” ≠ “affects no one.”
  • Some fear this is the “extinguish” phase of “embrace, extend, extinguish,” but others argue Microsoft can’t fully extinguish given today’s competition.

Alternatives and Editor Migration

  • Many report moving or planning to move to:
    • Neovim (often via LazyVim), Helix, Emacs, Sublime Text, Kate, VSCodium, Zed, Cursor, Lite XL, Micro.
  • Long subthreads discuss:
    • The difficulty of switching editors and learning new muscle memory.
    • Whether to start with a heavily preconfigured vim-like setup vs. “learn the native way” with minimal plugins.
    • VS Code’s strengths: extensions, debugging, embedded/enterprise toolchains, and accessibility (especially for screen readers).
    • Concerns that Zed and other commercial tools could eventually follow the same path as Microsoft.

AI Features, Cost, and Paywalls

  • Some argue AI inevitably has to be paid (compute costs), so “bring your own token” models are fair.
  • Others note Copilot rate limits and upsell dialogs as evidence of a push toward subscriptions even for basic “smart autocomplete.”
  • One commenter welcomes AI behind paywalls to reduce constant AI nagging; several reply that removing a free local tool in favor of a paid cloud service is precisely the problematic pattern.

Scope and “Overreaction” Debate

  • A minority view this as overblown: VS Code itself isn’t losing IntelliSense; Microsoft is simply consolidating redundant AI extensions into Copilot.
  • Others counter that removing a widely used free capability to promote a paid one is significant, especially given VS Code’s dominance and the dependence of many ecosystems on it.