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VS Code extension display name, description, and keywords fit the job

Write the display name, description, and keyword list around the exact editor job so the extension can be found by the words the user is already typing.

rare tacticfree budget

Why this can grow a startup

A lot of extension pages fail before the user reads the README. They fail in search because the name sounds clever, the description sounds broad, and the metadata never names the real task. VS Code's manifest guidance is direct: display name and description matter for Marketplace and product displays, and those strings are also used for text search. The keyword list is part of that same retrieval layer. When the extension keeps repeating the concrete editing or developer job, the shelf behaves less like branding theater and more like navigation.

Company example

VS Code's extension manifest reference says categories and keywords live in package.json, allows up to 30 keywords, and notes that the display name and description are used for Marketplace display and text search.

Source and metric

Source: Visual Studio Code Docs: Extension Manifest

The manifest supports up to 30 keywords, and VS Code uses the display name and description for text search.

MarketplacesSEOConversiondeveloper toolsmarketplace searchmetadata fitextension discovery
GrowthDex operator note

When to use it

Use this when Marketplaces, SEO, Conversion is relevant to developer tools, marketplace search, metadata fit and you can run a bounded test with a free budget.

When not to use it

Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.

Founder checklist

  1. Read Visual Studio Code Docs: Extension Manifest and identify what is directly supported.
  2. Choose one channel context: Marketplaces, SEO, Conversion.
  3. Define the test around The manifest supports up to 30 keywords, and VS Code uses the display name and description for text search..
  4. Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.

Explore the context

AI Visibility and Search GrowthMarketplacesSEOConversion

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JetBrains plugin name states the IDE job

Use a short, original plugin name that tells the IDE user what work gets done instead of burning the title on generic words or pricing noise.

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Advisory bridge

Apply this with an operator

Turn isolated search tactics into a crawlable visibility system tied to demand and proof.

Work with Ian