VS Code Refactoring and Code Intelligence Shortcuts

VS Code Refactoring Shortcuts

VS Code provides powerful code intelligence features powered by language servers. These shortcuts let you navigate and refactor code without leaving the keyboard.

Navigation

• Go to Definition (F12) — jump to where a symbol is defined. Works for functions, classes, variables, and types.
• Peek Definition (⌥+F12 / Alt+F12) — view the definition inline without leaving your current file. An inline editor appears below the cursor.
• Go Back (⌃+- / Alt+←) — return to your previous cursor position after jumping to a definition.
• Go to Symbol (⌘+Shift+O / Ctrl+Shift+O) — jump to any function, class, or variable in the current file by name.

Refactoring

• Rename Symbol (F2) — rename a variable, function, or class across all files. This is a semantic rename, not a find-and-replace.
• Format Document (⌘+Shift+F / Ctrl+Shift+F) — auto-format the entire file using the configured formatter (Prettier, ESLint, etc.).
• Quick Fix (⌘+. / Ctrl+.) — show available code actions like extracting a function, adding missing imports, or fixing lint errors.
• Organize Imports — available via Command Palette. Removes unused imports and sorts them alphabetically.

Code Folding

• Fold Region (⌘+⌥+[ / Ctrl+Shift+[) — collapse the current code block
• Unfold Region (⌘+⌥+] / Ctrl+Shift+]) — expand a collapsed block
• Fold All (⌘+K ⌘+0 / Ctrl+K Ctrl+0) — collapse everything for a high-level view

Trigger IntelliSense

• Trigger Suggestion (⌘+Space / Ctrl+Space) — manually invoke autocomplete when it does not appear automatically
• Parameter Hints (⌘+Shift+Space / Ctrl+Shift+Space) — show function parameter documentation

These shortcuts work best with TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust, and any language that has a VS Code language server extension.