This thesis aims to explore the feasibility of transitioning the current development environment of AutoScript, a scripting toolkit for electron microscopes, from PyCharm to Visual Studio Code. The main objectives are to evaluate the scope and nature of the work required to support such a migration and to create a functional prototype of several plugins necessary for the AutoScript product.

The text part of the thesis will provide an overview of the AutoScript application and an introduction to the VS Code IDE. Further, the text will define functional and non-functional requirements. Key objectives include:

• Documentation Integration: Implement the ability to access relevant documentation directly via a keyboard shortcut, mimicking existing PyCharm workflows.
• API Browser: Provide an in-editor browser for navigating the AutoScript API and copying code snippets directly.
• Image Viewer: Develop an integrated viewer for image files during debugging, capable of displaying associated metadata.
• Editor Branding: Customize the editor's visual appearance, including theming and color schemes, to align with Thermo Fisher branding guidelines.
• Product Links Menu: Implement a menu with direct links to key product pages and internal resources, making it easier to access relevant tools and documentation.
• Effort Estimates: Estimate the effort required to complete the transition process and the future maintenance costs of the VS Code extensions.

The practical outcome of this thesis will be functional VS Code extension prototypes showcasing these features, along with a report detailing the feasibility of the transition, effort estimates, and technical considerations. The code of prototypes will be submitted to the IS MU under the BSD 3-Clause License.