Originally created by Meta (formerly Facebook) for the Diem blockchain, Move emphasizes safety, efficiency, and flexibility, making it ideal for decentralized applications (dApps) and transaction logic. VSCode, a versatile open-source editor, provides robust support for Move through extensions and integrations, enabling developers to write, debug, and deploy code seamlessly.

Installing the Move Programming Language

Step 1: Install Rust and Cargo

Move development often relies on Rust tooling. Begin by installing Rust and its package manager Cargo:

1. Visit https://rust-lang.org and follow the platform-specific installation instructions.
2. Verify the installation by running:

   rustc --version  
   cargo --version  
   

Step 2: Clone the Move Repository

The Move language is hosted on GitHub. Clone the official repository to access the compiler and tools:

git clone https://github.com/move-language/move.git  
cd move  

Follow the repository’s installation instructions to build Move using Cargo .

Step 3: Install Move-Specific Tools

For blockchain platforms like Sui or Aptos, additional tools are required. For example, Sui developers can install the Sui Move CLI:

1. Install the Sui CLI:

   curl --fail --location --progress-bar https://install.suiet.dev | sh  
   

2. Verify the installation:

   sui --version  
   

Setting Up Visual Studio Code for Move Development

Step 1: Install VSCode

Download and install VSCode from https://code.visualstudio.com. Follow the installation prompts for your operating system.

Step 2: Install the Move Analyzer Extension

VSCode’s Move Analyzer extension provides syntax highlighting, error checking, and code navigation for Move projects:

1. Open VSCode.
2. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
3. Search for mysten.move and click Install .

Step 3: Configure Your Workspace

1. Open your Move project folder in VSCode (File > Open Folder).
2. Create a new Move file (e.g., hello.move) to start coding.

Writing and Running Move Code in VSCode

Create a basic Move module to store and retrieve a value:

address 0x1 {  
    module HelloMove {  
        use 0x1::Storage;  

        struct Message has key {  
            content: String  
        }  

        public fun set_message(sender: &signer, content: String) {  
            Storage::put(&Message { content });  
        }  

        public fun get_message(): String {  
            Storage::get<Message>().content  
        }  
    }  
}  

Save this as hello.move in your project directory.

Step 1: Compile the Module

1. Open the terminal in VSCode (Terminal > New Terminal).
2. Compile the module using the Move CLI:

   move build  
   

   This generates bytecode for deployment on a blockchain.

Step 2: Deploy and Test

For platforms like Sui:

1. Deploy the module:

   sui client publish --gas-budget 10000  
   

2. Call the set_message function:

   sui client call --package <PACKAGE_ID> --module HelloMove --function set_message --args "Hello, Move!" --gas-budget 10000  
   

3. Retrieve the message:

   sui client call --package <PACKAGE_ID> --module HelloMove --function get_message --gas-budget 10000