Not only is it easy, VS Code made it easier than ever. By creating protocols for language and debugger support, they've liberated future text editor developers from having to support every language under the sun. By adding support for the protocol, the new text editor automatically gains support for all languages.
The moat for the editor is the plugin shop. We will be able to see how committed they are to being open. At least for now, their Live Share plugin doesn't seem to be available for other editors [1]. It's nice to have easy access to debugging but how do you sell your editor if you don't have all the other productivity features?
This is literally the Embrace/Extend part of EEE
Even if they remove support for the protocols, those language and debugging servers still exist. Those servers are controlled by a wide variety of organisations, all of whom are committed to supporting the entire ecosystem of editors.
It doesn’t take much to regurgitate “EEE” on an MS article. If you can’t even imagine how the final E works in a specific case, maybe say nothing at all.
I don't personally think that Microsoft is attempting EEE here but just bringing up the point that it is, to a certain extent, made hard to fork.
- https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/DOCS.md#pro...
- GitHub has some special things like issues and pull requests but in general you can just switch your origin URL to another Git repository that isn't GitHub and boom you are off GitHub.
- NPM you can just point your package.json at any Git repository you want, no need to use the NPM package repo.
- VSCode Online: like I said, just use a different online editor.
Not too much lock in going on here. Integrations and seamless workflow? Sure. But lock in? No I don't think so.