diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4b9da9309..18c33b849 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ## editors
 /.idea
-/.vscode
+## disable this line one commit before changing contents that should be shared
+# /.vscode
 /*.code-workspace
 /.history
 
@@ -60,4 +61,6 @@ __output
 
 ## generate-package-exports tests
 packages/ui/new-exports/
-packages/ui/test-exports/
\ No newline at end of file
+packages/ui/test-exports/
+
+
diff --git a/.vscode/extensions.json b/.vscode/extensions.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..793522d71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/extensions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+    "recommendations": [
+      "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint",
+      "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
+      "mskelton.npm-outdated",
+      "runem.lit-plugin",
+    ]
+  }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d7c02ede0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "typescript.tsdk": "node_modules/typescript/lib",
+  "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
+  "[javascript]": {
+    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
+    "editor.formatOnSave": true,
+  },
+  "prettier.prettierPath": "node_modules/prettier"
+}