10 Productivity Hacks to Master Fresh IDEFresh IDE is an increasingly popular lightweight development environment that emphasizes speed, simplicity, and a smooth developer experience. Whether you’re building web apps, scripting utilities, or experimenting with new languages, mastering Fresh IDE’s features can save hours and reduce friction. Below are ten practical productivity hacks — with step-by-step tips, examples, and configuration ideas — to help you get the most out of Fresh IDE.
1. Customize the UI for focus and speed
A minimal, distraction-free interface helps you stay focused on code. Tweak the UI to reduce noise:
- Hide panels you rarely use (terminal, explorer, or extension sidebar) and bring them up only when needed.
- Use a compact theme and increased contrast for long coding sessions.
- Configure font size, line height, and ligatures to match your reading preference. Example settings (JSON):
{ "editor.fontSize": 14, "editor.lineHeight": 20, "workbench.colorTheme": "Default Dark+", "workbench.activityBar.visible": false }These adjustments reduce eye strain and let you scan code faster.
2. Master keyboard shortcuts and chords
Memorize and customize keybindings for common actions (open file, search, run tests) to avoid mouse trips.
- Create chords for multi-step actions (e.g., Ctrl+K then T to toggle test runner).
- Use a cheat-sheet overlay or a mnemonic system for learning the most-used combos. Tip: Map frequently used commands like “Run Current File” and “Toggle Terminal” to easy-to-reach shortcuts.
3. Use command palette and fuzzy file search efficiently
The command palette (Ctrl/Cmd+P or Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P) is power — use fuzzy search to jump to files, symbols, or commands.
- Search by partial filenames or symbol names.
- Prefix searches with ? or @ to limit scope (e.g., @ for symbols).
- Open multiple files by selecting them in quick succession without closing the palette.
4. Create project templates and snippets
Speed up repetitive tasks by creating project templates and code snippets.
- Use a template repo or Fresh IDE project template to scaffold common app structures.
- Define editor snippets for boilerplate: components, tests, API calls, or repetitive TypeScript types. Example TypeScript React component snippet:
{ "Functional Component": { "prefix": "rfc", "body": [ "import React from 'react';", "", "interface ${1:Props} {", " $2", "}", "", "const ${3:ComponentName}: React.FC<${1:Props}> = ({ $4 }) => {", " return (", " <div>$0</div>", " );", "};", "", "export default ${3:ComponentName};" ], "description": "Create a React functional component with TypeScript props" } }
5. Leverage the integrated terminal and tasks
Use the built-in terminal to run scripts, tests, and local servers without context switching.
- Create tasks for common workflows (build, lint, test, deploy) and bind them to shortcuts.
- Use split terminals to run multiple processes (dev server + test watcher). Example tasks.json snippet:
{ "version": "2.0.0", "tasks": [ { "label": "Run Dev Server", "type": "shell", "command": "npm run dev", "group": "build" }, { "label": "Run Tests", "type": "shell", "command": "npm test -- --watchAll", "group": "test" } ] }
6. Configure and use powerful extensions
Pick a few high-quality extensions that address specific needs rather than installing many.
- Linting (ESLint), formatting (Prettier), and TypeScript helpers are must-haves.
- Language server protocol (LSP) extensions provide fast autocompletion and go-to-definition.
- Extensions for Git integration, Docker, and debugging can streamline workflows. Tip: Disable extensions per-workspace if they’re only needed for certain projects.
7. Master source control inside the IDE
Use the integrated Git features to review changes, stage hunks, and create branches without leaving the editor.
- Use inline diff and blame to inspect recent changes quickly.
- Create task-based branch naming and worktrees for parallel feature work.
- Configure commit templates and verify hooks to keep commit messages consistent.
8. Automate repetitive checks with pre-commit hooks and CI integration
Ensure code quality automatically:
- Add Husky + lint-staged so linting and basic tests run before commits.
- Integrate with your CI to run full test suites and static analysis on pull requests. Example package.json scripts:
{ "scripts": { "lint": "eslint . --ext .ts,.tsx,.js,.jsx", "format": "prettier --write .", "test": "jest" } }
9. Use Workspaces and multi-root projects for related repos
When working on microservices or frontend+backend pairs, use multi-root workspaces.
- Group related repos in one workspace to search across projects and run cross-repo tasks.
- Configure workspace-specific settings and extensions so each repo behaves correctly.
10. Profile, measure, and eliminate bottlenecks
Identify where time is lost and fix it:
- Use the IDE’s performance profiler to find slow extensions or large files.
- Exclude massive generated folders (node_modules, dist) from searches and file watchers.
- Regularly archive or split monolithic projects that slow down indexing.
Summary checklist (quick actions)
- Customize the UI and fonts for focus.
- Learn and remap keybindings you use most.
- Use command palette and fuzzy search.
- Create templates and editor snippets.
- Run tasks and terminals inside the IDE.
- Install selective extensions; disable per-workspace.
- Use integrated Git and worktrees.
- Automate linting/tests with pre-commit hooks.
- Use multi-root workspaces for related projects.
- Profile the IDE and exclude big folders.
If you want, I can: generate a Fresh IDE workspace settings file, create example snippets for a specific language, or craft a task/launch configuration tailored to your stack — tell me which stack you’re using.
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