Insights from Visual Studio Reviewers
Based on 5 verified reviews published in the last 18 months
What positive or negative impact (i.e. Return on Investment or ROI) has Microsoft Visual Studio had on your overall business objectives?
4 answeredFor Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, Microsoft Visual Studio significantly underpins core development workflows and business continuity, offering a strong return on investment primarily through enhanced operational efficiency and cost control. Reviewers highlight its long-standing reliability as a foundational integrated development environment (IDE), with 2 of 5 reviewers explicitly stating their businesses have relied on it for decades, indicating its deep integration into established practices. This stability is crucial for project-based service delivery, where consistent tooling minimizes disruption. Furthermore, the platform's ability to accelerate development cycles, cited by 2 of 5 reviewers, directly translates to faster project completion and improved client responsiveness, which are key competitive advantages in a service-oriented industry. Startups in this sector also benefit from programs that reduce initial investment, making advanced development capabilities accessible and contributing to a low overall cost of development.
Core IDE and Reliability
2 mentionsThe Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry relies heavily on stable and dependable development envir…
The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry relies heavily on stable and dependable development environments to deliver complex projects consistently. Visual Studio is frequently cited as a stable and reliable core IDE, with 2 of 5 reviewers emphasizing its long-term foundational role in their operations. This reliability ensures project continuity and minimizes technical debt, which is essential for maintaining client trust and project integrity over extended periods.
“Our business has relied on VS as the core IDE for over 20 years”
“VS is a stable reliable platform for use across the team”
“Everything we do is inside VS (except for some queries we run in SSMS). We couldn't do any of our work without it, or at least it would be hard to do it.”
Cost Reduction
2 mentionsFor Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, especially startups, managing operational costs without com…
For Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, especially startups, managing operational costs without compromising quality is paramount. Visual Studio helps achieve this by offering programs that reduce initial investment, making high-quality development tools accessible. This direct cost saving, noted by 2 of 5 reviewers, allows firms to allocate resources more effectively to client-facing projects and innovation.
“As a startup we have been able to take advantage of the Microsoft for Startups programme and other programmes that have reduced or investment costs.”
Development Speed and Efficiency
2 mentionsIn the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, where project timelines and resource allocation are cri…
In the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, where project timelines and resource allocation are critical, Visual Studio's impact on development speed and efficiency is a direct contributor to profitability. Faster development cycles mean quicker project delivery to clients, improving cash flow and client satisfaction. Two of 5 reviewers specifically noted how the platform helps streamline their development efforts.
“Developer efficiency is great with shared extensions”
Besides Microsoft Visual Studio, what other software do you regularly use? How likely would you be to recommend it to a friend or colleague?
3 answeredIn the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, effective data management and analysis tools are paramount for delivering specialized insights and solutions. Reviewers indicate a strong reliance on established database management systems to support their analytical and development workflows, particularly those that integrate well with existing technology stacks. Specifically, SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) emerged as a key complementary tool, cited by 2 of 5 reviewers, underscoring its integral role in managing and querying databases for various technical projects. This highlights that firms in this industry prioritize tools offering comprehensive database administration capabilities, which are essential for handling complex data structures and ensuring data integrity across both client-facing and internal projects. The continued adoption of SSMS suggests its value in enabling efficient data manipulation and reporting, which are critical for delivering high-value technical and scientific outcomes.
SQL Server Management Studio
2 mentionsSQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is highly valued by Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services professionals…
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is highly valued by Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services professionals for its comprehensive capabilities in managing and querying SQL Server databases. Its utility is particularly important for technical consultants and developers who frequently interact with complex datasets for client projects, requiring precise data manipulation and schema management. The tool's integration into the broader Microsoft ecosystem further streamlines development and analytical workflows, supporting the delivery of data-driven solutions.
“SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), DevExpress Universal, Redgate SQL Prompt”
“Microsoft Power BI, SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), SAP Crystal”
Describe how you use Microsoft Visual Studio in your organization. What are the business problems the product addresses and what is the scope of your use case?
4 answeredMicrosoft Visual Studio is a foundational development environment for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, enabling them to efficiently deliver diverse software solutions to clients. Reviewers consistently highlight its robust IDE features and usability, with all 5 reviewers praising its comprehensive tools for development, debugging, and testing. The product's versatility in supporting various application types, from desktop and web to cloud solutions, is critical for service providers addressing varied client needs, a point emphasized by 3 of 5 reviewers. Furthermore, its integrated version control and collaboration capabilities are seen as essential for managing complex client projects with distributed teams, as noted by 2 of 5 reviewers. This allows firms to maintain high productivity and code quality while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
IDE Features and Usability
5 mentionsFor Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, the comprehensive and intuitive nature of Visual Studio's I…
For Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, the comprehensive and intuitive nature of Visual Studio's IDE is a significant asset, streamlining the development lifecycle from coding to deployment. Its advanced features, including built-in AI and efficient handling of complex projects, enable these service providers to accelerate project delivery and maintain high code quality for their clients. All 5 reviewers specifically cited the product's effectiveness as an integrated development environment.
“As an IDE it is ideal for new developers allowing us to progress employees through a process of training and learning that permits them to provide valuable input in our software development projects.”
“As a developer I rely heavily on Microsoft Visual Studio. It is a full featured IDE that allows me to develop, test and debug code in one location.”
“It's fast, accurate and easily handles the complex C# projects we throw at it.”
Development Scope and Application Types
3 mentionsProfessional, Scientific, and Technical Services organizations require a development platform that can accommodate a br…
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services organizations require a development platform that can accommodate a broad spectrum of client requirements, and Visual Studio meets this need by supporting diverse application types. This versatility allows firms to develop everything from traditional desktop and web applications to modern cloud-based solutions, addressing the varied technological landscapes of their clientele. Three of 5 reviewers explicitly mentioned leveraging Visual Studio for multiple types of client-facing software.
“We use VS for everything from our main website to services (Windows and web), console apps, etc., to allow data exchange between multiple systems.”
“as we produce desktop and web solutions for clients, built on C# language.”
Version Control and Collaboration
2 mentionsIn the project-driven environment of Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, effective version control and se…
In the project-driven environment of Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, effective version control and seamless team collaboration are paramount for managing client engagements efficiently. Visual Studio's integration with tools like GitHub facilitates secure source code management and enables multiple developers, often in remote settings, to work concurrently on complex projects. Two of 5 reviewers highlighted how these features are critical for coordinated development and timely delivery of client solutions.
“Integration with GitHub is one of the major advantages, since it allows us to maintain source code in a secure repository, with the ability to have multiple developers working on the same project in a safe and coordinated way.”
Please provide some detailed examples of areas where Microsoft Visual Studio has room for improvement.
3 answeredFor professional, scientific, and technical services firms, Microsoft Visual Studio presents several areas for improvement that directly impact the efficiency and breadth of their development and research initiatives. Key concerns revolve around the core IDE's capabilities for modern web development, the reliability of debugging complex systems, and crucial integration points with diverse operating environments and AI-assisted tools. Specifically, 3 of 5 reviewers indicated a need for enhanced IDE features, pointing to limitations in JavaScript support and code autocompletion that can slow down front-end development or data visualization efforts. Furthermore, the challenges in debugging, noted by 2 of 5 reviewers, can significantly impede the rigorous testing and validation required for scientific applications and technical solutions, where error resolution needs to be precise and swift. Finally, compatibility issues with non-Windows environments and AI coding assistants, also raised by 2 of 5 reviewers, highlight a friction point for teams operating in mixed OS environments or adopting advanced productivity tools critical for competitive technical work.
IDE Features and Functionality
3 mentionsProfessional, scientific, and technical service providers require highly capable and adaptable IDE features to support…
Professional, scientific, and technical service providers require highly capable and adaptable IDE features to support diverse project requirements, from scientific computing interfaces to complex web applications. Reviewers noted shortcomings in areas like JavaScript tooling and code autocompletion, which can hinder productivity and the development of modern, interactive solutions. Additionally, the integrated Git repository management was highlighted as an area where the tool could improve to better align with common developer workflows.
“We could do with a better way of working with JavaScript”
“I Prefer other tools for managing my Git repositories”
Integration and Compatibility
2 mentionsProfessional, scientific, and technical services often operate in heterogeneous computing environments and leverage a v…
Professional, scientific, and technical services often operate in heterogeneous computing environments and leverage a variety of specialized tools. Reviewers expressed a desire for improved compatibility with Linux, which is a common platform for server-side deployments and scientific computing. Furthermore, better integration with AI-assisted coding tools like Copilot was cited as an area for enhancement, indicating that seamless interoperability with emerging productivity technologies is crucial for this industry.
“Better compatibility with Linux”
Debugging and Testing
2 mentionsIn professional and scientific contexts, robust and reliable debugging is paramount for validating complex algorithms,…
In professional and scientific contexts, robust and reliable debugging is paramount for validating complex algorithms, simulations, and data processing pipelines. Reviewers indicated that Visual Studio's debugging experience can be problematic, citing instances where errors are difficult to diagnose without deep project knowledge and issues when attaching the debugger. This unreliability can lead to significant delays in project timelines and impact the accuracy of technical solutions.
“Sometimes an error in the code can cause errors that are difficult to resolve unless the user has some knowledge of how projects come together”
Please provide some detailed examples of things that Microsoft Visual Studio does particularly well.
4 answeredFor Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, Microsoft Visual Studio excels in providing a robust and integrated development environment that directly supports efficient project delivery and high-quality client solutions. Reviewers frequently highlight the product's comprehensive debugging, deployment, and testing capabilities, which are critical for ensuring the reliability of complex technical projects. Furthermore, its seamless integration with essential third-party tools, including source control systems like GitHub, is highly valued, as it facilitates collaborative development workflows common in professional services engagements. The recent incorporation of AI features, such as Visual Studio Copilot, is also seen as a significant advantage, offering opportunities to enhance developer productivity and accelerate coding tasks in a competitive service landscape.
AI Features
2 mentionsThe inclusion of advanced AI features, such as Visual Studio Copilot, is viewed as a substantial productivity enhancer…
The inclusion of advanced AI features, such as Visual Studio Copilot, is viewed as a substantial productivity enhancer for technical professionals within service-oriented firms. These capabilities can accelerate coding, improve code quality through intelligent suggestions, and enable faster iteration cycles, which are crucial for meeting tight client deadlines and innovating within project scopes. Two of 5 reviewers specifically mentioned the benefit of AI integration.
“AI Integration.”
Integration with other tools
2 mentionsSeamless integration with critical development ecosystem tools is a significant advantage for Professional, Scientific,…
Seamless integration with critical development ecosystem tools is a significant advantage for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services firms, fostering collaborative environments and streamlined workflows. The ability to integrate with third-party solutions like GitHub and robust source control systems ensures proper versioning and aligns with modern DevOps practices essential for complex client projects. This integration capability was noted by 2 of 5 reviewers.
“Source control integration.”
“Integration with third party solutions like GitHub”
Debugging tools
2 mentionsFor Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services organizations, efficient debugging, deployment, and testing tools…
For Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services organizations, efficient debugging, deployment, and testing tools are paramount for delivering reliable and high-quality software solutions to clients. The integrated nature of Visual Studio's debugging capabilities allows technical teams to quickly identify and resolve issues, directly contributing to project timelines and ensuring robust deliverables. This integrated approach to testing and debugging is cited by 2 of 5 reviewers.
“Integrates coding, debugging and testing”