: If you need a full IDE, this was the last version of the traditional Visual Studio suite to officially support Windows XP development. Microsoft Learn Important Prerequisites

If you manage to get an old version running, ensure your system meets these bare minimums: visual studio code for windows xp - Microsoft Q&A

Since running an ancient version of VS Code is often buggy and insecure, most developers on Windows XP prefer dedicated 32-bit editors that are still lightweight and functional. Notepad++ (Top Recommendation)

To understand the "download" difficulties, you must understand the technical barriers:

Visual Studio Code is not a native Win32 application written in C++. It is a web application packaged inside —a framework that bundles Node.js and the Chromium browser engine.

While not officially supported, the last version often cited by the community for retro-computing attempts is Version 1.10

Things to consider when choosing a code editor Name Sublime Text Visual Studio Code Platform Windows, Linux, macOS Windows, Linux, Sublime Text