Choosing Vscodium for a Privacy‑First VS Code Experience

Problem: You want VS Code’s features without Microsoft telemetry

Many developers appreciate Visual Studio Code’s rich extension ecosystem but are uncomfortable with the default telemetry, crash reporting, and branding that Microsoft includes. Switching off these settings manually can be error‑prone, and updates may revert them. You need a reliable build that removes these components by default while still letting you install the extensions you rely on.

Thesis: Vscodium provides a telemetry‑free build, but you must consciously manage extension sources to keep the privacy guarantee.

Vscodium is a community‑maintained binary of VS Code that strips Microsoft‑specific telemetry, crash reporting, and branding before compilation. Its default extension gallery points to Open VSX, an open‑source registry that does not require Microsoft accounts. However, some popular extensions are published only to the Microsoft Marketplace, and enabling that marketplace can re‑introduce third‑party telemetry or different license terms.

Section 1: Verify the default privacy settings

After installing Vscodium, start with a clean user profile (e.g., --user-data-dir ~/vscodium-test) to avoid inheriting existing settings. Open the Settings UI (Ctrl+,) or directly inspect settings.json:

{
  "telemetry.enableTelemetry": false,
  "telemetry.enableCrashReporter": false
}

These keys are set to false in the shipped configuration; you can confirm they are not overridden by checking the Default Settings tab in the UI.

Section 2: Confirm the extension registry points to Open VSX

In the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X), click the gear icon → Extensions: Default Gallery Service Url. The value should be:

https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery

Alternatively, view the raw setting:

"extensions.gallery.serviceUrl": "https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery"

If you see a different URL (e.g., the Microsoft marketplace), the setting has been changed.

Section 3: Worked example – installing a popular extension and optionally adding the Microsoft marketplace

Suppose you want the Prettier code formatter, which is available on both registries.

1. Open the Extensions view and search for "Prettier - Code formatter".
2. If the extension appears from the publisher "esbenp", it is being served from Open VSX (you can verify by checking the Details pane for the gallery service URL field).
3. Click Install. Vscodium will download and activate the extension without contacting Microsoft servers.

If you need an extension that is only published to the Microsoft Marketplace (for example, a proprietary debugger), you can add the marketplace as an additional source:

"extensions.gallery.serviceUrl": [
  "https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery",
  "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/_apis/public/gallery"
]

After saving, reload the window. Now you can search for the marketplace‑only extension. Be aware:

• The extension may include its own telemetry or data collection practices.
• Its license may differ from the open‑source licenses typical of Open VSX extensions.

To retain the privacy guarantee, install only those marketplace extensions you have vetted.

Trade‑offs and limitations

Open VSX hosts a growing but still incomplete set of extensions. Microsoft‑published tools such as Live Share, Azure Account, or certain language‑specific debuggers may be missing. Enabling the Microsoft marketplace restores access but re‑introduces potential telemetry and separate licensing terms. Additionally, because Vscodium is built independently, official Microsoft support channels (e.g., GitHub issues under the vscode repository) do not apply; you rely on the Vscodium community for bug fixes.

Actionable closing: Keep your Vscodium setup privacy‑first

1. Start with a fresh profile and verify telemetry.enableTelemetry is false.
2. Confirm the extension gallery URL defaults to Open VSX.
3. Install extensions from Open VSX whenever possible.
4. If you must use the Microsoft marketplace, add it as a secondary source, review each extension’s telemetry and license, and consider disabling the marketplace after installation.
5. Periodically check the Vscodium release notes for changes to the patch set or default settings.

By following these steps you gain the familiarity of VS Code’s editor while maintaining a clear, auditable boundary against unwanted telemetry.