The most direct and commonly used shortcut to duplicate a line in Visual Studio Code is Shift + Alt + Down Arrow (or Shift + Alt + Up Arrow). This allows you to quickly create an identical copy of the current line, either below or above its original position.
Duplicating a Line: The Primary Method
Visual Studio Code offers a dedicated shortcut for duplicating lines, which is highly efficient for coding tasks such as creating similar variable declarations, function calls, or HTML elements.
Shift + Alt + Down Arrow: Duplicates the current line (or selected lines) and inserts the copy directly below the original.Shift + Alt + Up Arrow: Duplicates the current line (or selected lines) and inserts the copy directly above the original.
How it works:
Simply place your cursor anywhere on the line you wish to duplicate. If you select multiple lines, the shortcut will duplicate all selected lines. The duplicated content will retain its original indentation.
Alternative Method: Copy and Paste for Line Duplication
While the Shift + Alt + Down/Up shortcut is the most direct, you can also duplicate a line using the standard copy and paste commands. This method is particularly useful if you prefer a two-step process or are accustomed to this behavior from other text editors.
If no specific text is selected, pressing Ctrl + C (Cmd + C on macOS) will copy the entire current line to your clipboard. Subsequently, pressing Ctrl + V (Cmd + V on macOS) will paste that copied line directly below your current cursor position. This effectively duplicates the current line and places the copy immediately below it.
Enhancing Productivity with Line Manipulation Shortcuts
Beyond duplicating lines, Visual Studio Code provides a suite of powerful shortcuts for manipulating entire lines of code, significantly speeding up development workflows. Mastering these can make refactoring and code organization much more efficient.
Here's a quick reference for essential line manipulation shortcuts:
| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duplicate Line Down | Shift + Alt + Down |
Shift + Option + Down |
Copies current line(s) below. |
| Duplicate Line Up | Shift + Alt + Up |
Shift + Option + Up |
Copies current line(s) above. |
| Move Line Down | Alt + Down |
Option + Down |
Moves current line(s) one line down. |
| Move Line Up | Alt + Up |
Option + Up |
Moves current line(s) one line up. |
| Delete Line | Ctrl + Shift + K |
Cmd + Shift + K |
Deletes the current line(s). |
| Copy Line | Ctrl + C (no selection) |
Cmd + C (no selection) |
Copies the entire line if no text is selected. |
| Cut Line | Ctrl + X (no selection) |
Cmd + X (no selection) |
Cuts the entire line if no text is selected. |
| Insert Line Below | Ctrl + Enter |
Cmd + Enter |
Inserts a new empty line below the current one. |
| Insert Line Above | Ctrl + Shift + Enter |
Cmd + Shift + Enter |
Inserts a new empty line above the current one. |
These shortcuts streamline tasks such as reordering code blocks, quickly adding new elements based on existing ones, and cleaning up unnecessary lines.
Practical Tips for Efficient Coding
- Refactoring: When refactoring code, use the duplicate line shortcut to create a temporary copy before making significant changes. This serves as a quick backup or a reference point.
- Pattern Repetition: For repetitive code patterns (e.g., list items, CSS properties), duplicate a line and then quickly modify the copied content.
- Custom Keybindings: If you find a particular shortcut difficult to remember or inconvenient, Visual Studio Code allows you to customize keyboard shortcuts to better suit your workflow. Access this feature via
File > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts(orCode > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcutson macOS).
By integrating these shortcuts into your daily coding routine, you can significantly boost your efficiency and maintain better focus on the logic of your code rather than manual text manipulation.
