How different is it from Visual Studio's default features and Intellisense?

Visual Assist and the built in Intellisense tooling share a few common features. Where we share features, VA frequently operate much faster and do a better job of giving you the correct results (e.g. finding more references that Visual Studio would miss). Also, the Visual Studio UI can arguably complicate some dialog boxes for simple tasks. An example is the Visual Studio unified search, which operates like the search bar in the operating system wherein everything is shown. In contrast, VA uses different search dialogs for each type of search, each with features specific to that kind of search and without displaying results you aren't interested in.

What support does Visual Assist provide?

Visual Assist (VA) is a coding productivity plugin for C++ and C# developers who work in Visual Studio. Visual Assist has its own code parser, separate from the built in Intellisense parser. This provides all of the features one would expect from a modern IDE and many more. These features include tools for Navigation, Refactoring, Debugging Assistance and Automatic Code Modernization with Code Inspections. VA also offer special support and tooling for Unreal Engine, Unity, Graphics Card "Shaders" and CUDA.

Are there special ways for students and teachers to use VA in education/academia?

Yes! We have special licenses for students and teachers. Visit this page to learn more .

How will the long-term benefits outweigh the initial cost?

As with any tool, how useful it is depends on how much you intend to use it. VA enhances productivity by improving Visual Studio's default features or by adding new ones absent from the IDE. Some users focus on a few features, while some take the time to try out all the features. There are many options available to you with all of them aimed at making you code faster, easier, and making the experience less frustrating. Read this blog to learn more about the value VA provides

What kind of developers benefit from using Visual Assist?

Developers using Microsoft's Visual Studio to develop and code using C, C# and C++ will benefit from using VA. There has been a focus on C++ game development (Unreal Engine) wherein the added support and tooling is most needed. Recent updates have also added support and tooling for Unity Engine, Graphics Card "Shaders" and CUDA development.

Visual Assist Blog - C++ Tips, Release Notes & Developer Guides

Build Announcements

Visual Assist 2024.9 release post

By Tristan Soliven

December 31, 2024

Happy Holidays! Visual Assist 2024.9 makes its way to general availability this holiday season! This update introduces a key update to Find References and a new refactoring. We are also introducing a new way to experience Visual Assist—more on this below! And of course, thanks to your feedback, we also have bug fixes and general QoL improvements. Visit our website page and download the release…

Webinar Recap

Test Driven-Development and UI/UX Design: A Practical Guide [Webinar Recap]

By Tristan Soliven

December 22, 2024

Don’t you wish your code came with an undo button for every mistake? So do all developers who accidentally pushed a bug into production! But we got the next best thing: Unit testing. This webinar will show you how to stop breaking your codebase (and your spirit) by writing…

Tips and Tricks

How to Query File Attributes 50x faster on Windows

By Bartlomiej Filipek

November 14, 2024

TL;DR If your app scans thousands of files, the way you fetch file attributes can quietly destroy performance. Standard methods like GetFileAttributesEx or even std::filesystem are convenient but painfully slow at scale. By switching to faster Windows APIs like…

Tips and Tricks

C++ versus Blueprints: Which should I use for Unreal Engine game development?

By Tristan Soliven

October 23, 2024

TL;DR In Unreal Engine, Blueprints and C++ aren’t competitors, they’re complementary tools. Blueprints offer a visual, beginner-friendly way to build gameplay quickly, making them ideal for prototyping, simple logic, and collaboration with non-programmers. C++, on the other hand, provides greater performance, flexibility, and low-level control, making it essential for complex systems and…

Build Announcements

Visual Assist 2024.7 release post

By Tristan Soliven

October 1, 2024

We are excited to announce the release of 2024.7 of Visual Assist! This update introduces several powerful features aimed at improving your coding efficiency and project navigation. Download the release now. Here’s a breakdown of what’s new in this version: New…

Success Story Tips and Tricks

Making a case for investing in software tools: convincing yourself, your team, and your boss

By Tristan Soliven

September 27, 2024

Introduction Visual Assist has been a longtime partner for coding in Visual Studio. It adds missing features and sometimes even replaces the default features in the IDE. In fact, you can even argue that Visual Assist had a direct influence as to how some of the features in…

Success Story

Success Story: Visual Assist for modeling and simulation software for automotive C++

By Tristan Soliven

September 26, 2024

About the Client Based in Europe, the client is a global company specializing in the development and manufacturing of high-performance systems for vehicle technology. As a company that has been in the industry for over a century, their longstanding focus on innovation has positioned them as one of the top automotive manufacturers worldwide. As part of their commitment to quality, they have…

Tips and Tricks

Getting started with how to use C++ for embedded systems in financial services

By Tristan Soliven

September 23, 2024

TL;DR From ATMs and payment terminals to real-time trading systems, a huge part of modern financial technology still runs on C++. This blog explains why the language remains so important for embedded financial systems, where speed, reliability, and low-level hardware control…

Tips and Tricks

The biggest challenges in writing C++ programs for finance and banking

By Tristan Soliven

August 28, 2024

TL;DR C++ continues to dominate financial software because it delivers the speed, control, and precision required for high-stakes systems like trading platforms and risk engines. But building in this space is far from simple. Developers must juggle ultra-low latency demands…

Tips and Tricks

Installing Virtual Machines to use Visual Studio on Mac

By Tristan Soliven

August 27, 2024

TL;DR The full version of Visual Studio cannot run natively on macOS, especially after Visual Studio for Mac was discontinued. The most effective solution is to install Windows (ARM version) on a virtual machine and run Visual Studio within that environment. This approach allows Mac users to access all features required for C++, .NET, Unity, and enterprise development. With proper RAM and CPU…

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Visual Assist 2024.9 release post

Test Driven-Development and UI/UX Design: A Practical Guide [Webinar Recap]

How to Query File Attributes 50x faster on Windows

C++ versus Blueprints: Which should I use for Unreal Engine game development?

Visual Assist 2024.7 release post

Making a case for investing in software tools: convincing yourself, your team, and your boss

Success Story: Visual Assist for modeling and simulation software for automotive C++

Getting started with how to use C++ for embedded systems in financial services

The biggest challenges in writing C++ programs for finance and banking

Installing Virtual Machines to use Visual Studio on Mac

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