Visual Studio Live Share Enables Real-Time Collaboration

• Visual Studio Live Share enables real-time code editing and debugging collaboration for up to six developers.
• Collaborative development projects, peer assistance, code reviews, and training routines could benefit.

Visual Studio (VS) Live Share, which became available as a preview in May 2018, could improve processes for developers working together writing and debugging code. However, some security precautions need to be taken by developers using Live Share.

Developers Can Work on Same Code Simultaneously

VS Live Share is an extension that allows developers to work together on the same project (a set of source code files that comprise an application) simultaneously, while each developer remains at their own workstation using their own customized integrated development environment (IDE). It works with VS 2017 (15.6 or later) and the free VS Code (1.22.0 or later).

One developer (the host) can share a project with up to five other developers (guests). Guests who accept the invitation join a Live Share session with the host where the host and guests (collectively, the members) can simultaneously edit any portion of the code. Real-time editing activity, such as highlighting and typing, that is performed during the session by any member is viewable by all members. (See the illustration “Visual Studio Live Share“.)