diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6705180478..2185b7f845 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ scripts/memory/project/src/pages/
 package-lock.json
 .turbo/
 
-# .vscode files other than at top-level
-**/.vscode
+# ignore top-level vscode settings
+/.vscode/settings.json
 
 # do not commit .env files or any files that end with `.env`
 *.env
diff --git a/.vscode/extensions.json b/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8411afe02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode",
+    "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
+    "editorconfig.editorconfig",
+    "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/blog/.vscode/extensions.json b/examples/blog/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d7e893706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/blog/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/blog/.vscode/launch.json b/examples/blog/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d642209762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/blog/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "command": "./node_modules/.bin/astro dev",
+      "name": "Development server",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "type": "node-terminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/examples/docs/.vscode/extensions.json b/examples/docs/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d7e893706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/docs/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/docs/.vscode/launch.json b/examples/docs/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d642209762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/docs/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "command": "./node_modules/.bin/astro dev",
+      "name": "Development server",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "type": "node-terminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/examples/minimal/.vscode/extensions.json b/examples/minimal/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d7e893706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/minimal/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/minimal/.vscode/launch.json b/examples/minimal/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d642209762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/minimal/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "command": "./node_modules/.bin/astro dev",
+      "name": "Development server",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "type": "node-terminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/examples/portfolio/.vscode/extensions.json b/examples/portfolio/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d7e893706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/portfolio/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/portfolio/.vscode/launch.json b/examples/portfolio/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d642209762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/portfolio/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "command": "./node_modules/.bin/astro dev",
+      "name": "Development server",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "type": "node-terminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/examples/starter/.vscode/extensions.json b/examples/starter/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d7e893706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/starter/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "recommendations": [
+    "astro-build.astro-vscode"
+  ],
+  "unwantedRecommendations": []
+}
diff --git a/examples/starter/.vscode/launch.json b/examples/starter/.vscode/launch.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d642209762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/starter/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "command": "./node_modules/.bin/astro dev",
+      "name": "Development server",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "type": "node-terminal"
+    }
+  ]
+}