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Keshav Mohta

Python profile setup in vscode

/ 2 min read

vscode, python, project-setup, profile, workspace

Setting Up VS Code for Python Development: A Profile-Based Approach

Why Separate Profiles Matter

When you’re primarily a JavaScript developer working with Python, it’s crucial to maintain clean development environments. Creating a dedicated Python profile in VS Code helps you:

  • Keep JavaScript-related extensions isolated from Python tools
  • Avoid performance impacts from running unnecessary extensions
  • Switch quickly between different development contexts
  • Maintain separate settings for each language ecosystem

Creating a Python Development Profile

  1. Open VS Code and create a new profile named “Python Dev”:
Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P) → Profiles: Create Profile → "Python Dev"

Essential Extensions for Python Profile

{
  "recommendations": [
    "ms-python.python",
    "ms-python.vscode-pylance",
    "charliermarsh.ruff",
    "njpwerner.autodocstring",
    "ms-python.isort",
    "ms-toolsai.jupyter"
  ]
}

Create .vscode/settings.json:

{
  "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/python",
  "python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic",
  "python.formatting.provider": "none",
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
    "source.organizeImports": true,
    "source.fixAll": true
  },
  "ruff.lint.run": "onSave",
  "[python]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "charliermarsh.ruff"
  },
  "files.exclude": {
    "**/__pycache__": true,
    "**/.pytest_cache": true,
    "**/*.pyc": true
  }
}

Debug Configuration

Create .vscode/launch.json:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Python: Current File",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}",
      "console": "integratedTerminal",
      "justMyCode": true
    },
    {
      "name": "Python: Streamlit",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "module": "streamlit",
      "args": ["run", "${workspaceFolder}/app.py"],
      "console": "integratedTerminal"
    }
  ]
}

Profile Management Tips

  • Export your Python profile to share with team members
  • Use “Save Workspace As…” to maintain project-specific settings
  • Switch to your JavaScript profile when working on front-end tasks
  • Consider creating a hybrid profile if you work frequently with both Python and JavaScript in the same project (e.g., Flask/FastAPI with React)

Workspace Organization

Maintain a clean workspace structure:

project/
├── .vscode/
│   ├── settings.json
│   └── launch.json
├── .venv/
├── src/
├── tests/
├── .gitignore
└── pyproject.toml/requirements.txt

This setup keeps your JavaScript development environment clean while providing all necessary tools for Python development. The profile-based approach ensures you can switch between different technology stacks without cognitive overhead or IDE performance impacts.