# Visual Studio Application: Microsoft Corporation Also called vs, visual studio ide, devenv Microsoft Corporation, Productivity Microsoft's full Windows IDE. The process is devenv.exe. Visual Studio Code is a different product whose process is Code.exe. ## What you need to know Visual Studio is devenv.exe. VS Code is Code.exe. Visual Studio is the full Microsoft IDE. Community, Professional, and Enterprise share devenv.exe. Visual Studio Code is a lightweight editor. Uninstalling one does not remove the other. - **What is it?**: Microsoft's full IDE **Is it VS Code?**: No. That is Code.exe **Process name?**: devenv.exe Feex says If a guide says close Visual Studio and you only have Code.exe, you are already on the other product. I would look for devenv.exe. Workloads live in the Visual Studio Installer, not in the VS Code Marketplace. ## What is Visual Studio? Visual Studio is Microsoft's full IDE with compilers, designers, and workloads. It is not VS Code. Rider is a JetBrains .NET IDE, not this installer. ## If you have never used it If a job posting said Visual Studio, this is the large IDE, not Visual Studio Code. Download the Visual Studio Installer from visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads and pick Community, Professional, or Enterprise. The tell is devenv.exe. Code.exe is VS Code. Workloads can take tens of gigabytes. ## What is it used for? **Build Windows and .NET apps** Solutions, designers, and the debugger. VS Code can edit the same files without devenv.exe. **Workloads via the Installer** Desktop, web, C++, and more. Each workload is why the install is huge. VS Code extensions are not this catalog. **MSBuild and test explorers** Integrated build and test UI. cmake.exe can generate projects this IDE then opens. ## Who is it for? - People whose org standardizes on Visual Studio solutions - Anyone who clicked Visual Studio and got VS Code by mistake - .NET and C++ developers who need designers, not only a folder editor ## Current status Visual Studio (1997) is a current full ide from Microsoft Corporation. The vendor still points Windows users at https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/. ## How old is it? Microsoft shipped Visual Studio in 1997. VS 2022 is the current Windows IDE line. Visual Studio Code (2015) reused the name and is a different editor. A 6.0-era MSDN disc is history. ## Versions Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here. Community Professional Enterprise ## System requirements Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need. ### Minimum | Operating system | Visual Studio 2022: 64-bit Windows 11 or supported Windows Server, per Microsoft | | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | RAM | 4 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended for typical professional solutions, per Microsoft | ## Resource profile - **CPU demand**: Follows what you open inside the app **RAM demand**: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries ## Installed processes These executables belong to this product when it is installed. | devenv.exe | Visual Studio IDE | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------- | | vs_installer.exe | Visual Studio Installer for workloads | ## Startup components Visual Studio can restore the last solution. That is the IDE, not a Windows service named devenv. ## File locations | Typical install | C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\\\\Common7\IDE\\ | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ## File formats SLN, CSPROJ, VCXPROJ ## Common problems ### Name collision with Visual Studio Code Start menu tiles look similar. devenv.exe is this article. Code.exe is VS Code. Rider is rider64.exe. ### Installer disk shock Microsoft lists 850 MB to 210 GB depending on workloads. Typical installs are tens of GB. That is not a VS Code download. ## Getting unstuck ### Open the Visual Studio Installer, not Apps > VS Code Modify workloads there. The VS Code Marketplace cannot add a Visual Studio C++ toolset. ### Confirm devenv.exe under Microsoft Visual Studio\2022 Community, Professional, or Enterprise folders all use devenv.exe. Programs\Microsoft VS Code is the other product. ### Install from visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads A Visual Studio cracked ISO is junk. Microsoft hosts the Installer. ## Alternatives Visual Studio Code for a folder editor. Rider if you want JetBrains for .NET. Build Tools if you only need the compiler on a server. ## Official help and downloads Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel. | Download | [visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/ ](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)Official installer or vendor page | | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Help | [learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/ ](https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/)Vendor support | | Official site | [visualstudio.microsoft.com/ ](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/)Start here, not a random exe host | | System requirements | [learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/system-requirements ](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/system-requirements)What Microsoft lists for Visual Studio 2022 | ## Related hardware Microsoft lists a 64-bit ARM64 or x64 CPU, 4 GB RAM minimum, and 16 GB recommended for typical professional solutions. An SSD is strongly recommended. ## Technical details Technical details Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build. ## Related These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link. [Visual Studio Code: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/visual-studio-code)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager) ## Sources and verification Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research). - [Visual Studio official site ](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/)· Vendor product page - [Visual Studio help ](https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/)· Vendor support - [Visual Studio 2022 system requirements ](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/system-requirements)· Official RAM, CPU, and OS list - [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark. ## Was this article useful? A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note. Quick facts The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article. - **Developer**: Microsoft Corporation **Category**: Full IDE **Process**: devenv.exe **License**: Community free / Professional and Enterprise paid **First released**: 1997 **Official site**: [visualstudio.microsoft.com](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/) **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026 --- Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/visual-studio/) [Developer guide](https://feex.it/wiki/developers/) | [API policy](https://feex.it/developers/api-policy/) | [Agent guidance](https://feex.it/wiki/llms.txt)