FiraCode on VSCode

Setting Up a Great Coding Font with Ligatures in VS Code on Ubuntu

Here’s how to set up an excellent coding font with ligatures in VS Code on Ubuntu:

Step 1: Install a Programming Font with Ligatures

Several excellent programming fonts support ligatures. Here are some top options:

# Install FiraCode (most popular choice)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install fonts-firacode

# Or install JetBrains Mono (another excellent option)
# Download from https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/mono/ and install manually
# Or use the font manager:
sudo apt install font-manager
# Then import the downloaded font using Font Manager

Step 2: Configure VS Code to Use the Font with Ligatures

Open VS Code
Press Ctrl+, to open Settings
Search for “font”
Locate and modify these settings:
- “Editor: Font Family” - Set to 'Fira Code' or 'JetBrains Mono'
- ”Editor: Font Ligatures” - Set to true

Alternatively, you can edit your settings.json directly by clicking the {} icon in the top right of the settings page and adding:

{
    "editor.fontFamily": "'Fira Code', 'Droid Sans Mono', 'monospace'",
    "editor.fontLigatures": true,
    "editor.fontSize": 14
}

Step 3: Additional Font Customization (Optional)

Adjust font size with the “Editor: Font Size” setting
Try different font weights with “Editor: Font Weight”
For a more cohesive experience, you can also apply the font to the terminal:
```
"terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "'Fira Code'"
```

VS Code should apply the changes immediately. You’ll now see coding ligatures like =>, !=, and >= rendered as special symbols, making your code more readable.