Skip to content
PluginStats

Better C++ Syntax installs statistics

By Jeff Hykin (4 listings) · VS Code Marketplace · Programming Languages

The bleeding edge of the C++ syntax

View on VS Code Marketplace Fresh · Oct 19, 2026

Better C++ Syntax has 12,791,502 recorded installs on VS Code Marketplace.

It ranks #84 of 2,501 tracked VS Code Marketplace listings by installs.

It is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings.

PluginStats has 4 daily observations since Oct 16, 2026; the latest is from Oct 19, 2026.

Installs
12,791,502
Official API · Oct 19, 2026
7-day growth
—
Insufficient history
30-day growth
—
Insufficient history
90-day growth
—
Insufficient history
Rank
#84
Among tracked VS Code Marketplace listings

Rating: 4.88 / 5 from 16 ratings

About Better C++ Syntax

Sponsors

Easy pair programming with any IDE. Duckly enables you to talk, share your code in real-time, server and terminal with people using different IDEs. Try it out for free

What does this extension do?

This will get you the bleeding-edge syntax highlighting for C++. Which means your theme will be able to color your code better. This used to be a fix, but then VS Code starting using it as the official source for C and C++ highlighting.

NOTE: The default VS Code theme does not color much. Switch to the Dark+ theme (installed by default) or use a theme like one of the following to benefit from the changes: • XD Theme • Noctis • Kary Pro Colors • Material Theme • One Monokai Theme • Winteriscoming • Popping and Locking • Syntax Highlight Theme • Default Theme Enhanced

How do I use the extension?

Just install the VS Code extension and the changes will automatically be applied to all relevant files. Link: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jeff-hykin.better-cpp-syntax

Comparison (Material Theme)

How do I use the grammar? (as an upstream for my non-vs code editor)

1. Watch the the "Major Changes" thread here to know when I change licenses, the codebase structure, or just major highlighting changes. 2. I support non-VS Code usecases. E.g. yes, you are welcome to open issues like this one that don't affect VS Code.

What is different from atom/language-c?

It fixes: • The issue of single quotes inside #error and #warning being highlighted when then shouldn't be • The issue of initialization functions only highlighting the first parenthesis • The bug that treats the 'and' and 'or' operator as functions (instead of operators) when they are followed by ()'s • Old C99 function highlighting that broke the standard function highlighting • The failure of highlighting for the semicolon after namespaces • The missing operator overloading symbols • The failure to tag operator overloading functions as functions • The failure to tag implicit operator overrides • The marking of some %'s as invalid inside of strings https://github.com/atom/language-c/issues/289 • The highlighting of namespaces with ::'s https://github.com/atom/language-c/issues/260 • The issue of the C++ syntax depending on (and getting screwed up by) the C syntax • multiple inheritance https://github.com/atom/language-c/issues/245 • And many many more issues (#318, #309, #270, #246, etc)

It adds: • Parameter highlighting • Highlighting of embedded assembly code (if you have an assembly syntax installed) • Function-pointer highlighting • Lambda highlighting • C++14 literal support (100'000ms) • Template definition syntax highlighting (including C++ 2020 syntax) • Better object identification • Improved scope resolution :: syntax • Highlighting of templated function calls aFunction(arguments) • Additional specificity for many existing tags • Many other features

Like this extension?

• You'll probably like this as well: My "Better Syntax" Megapack

Contributing

If you'd like to help improve the syntax, take a look at main/main.rb. And make sure to take a look at documentation/CONTRIBUTING.md to get a better idea of how the code works.

Planned future fixes/features: • Add tagging for type-casting statements • Add tagging for custom types words • Better support for dereferenced/pointer tagging • Full C++ 2020 support (module imports, arrow return types, etc.) • Improving template types

What if I see a highlighting bug?

Let me know! Post an issue on https://github.com/jeff-hykin/better-cpp-syntax I love regular expressions, and PR's are always welcome.

Did you write all of this yourself?

The original JSON was taken from https://github.com/atom/language-c @matter123 wrote every massive pull request, from simple bugfixes up to the entire textmate testing suite @j-cortial has fixed many lingering bugs The #error fix was taken from fnadeau's pull request here: https://github.com/atom/language-c/pull/251 Thank you @matter123, @j-cortial, and @fnadeau! The rest of the ruby is authored by @jeff-hykin

Description from the VS Code Marketplace listing.

  • c++
  • color
  • coloring
  • cpp
  • highlighting
  • syntax
  • textmate

Charts

Images: 30d · 1y · all time · 1600×900 dark

Adoption over time

Better C++ Syntax installs on VS Code Marketplace, last 90 days: 12,791,502 installs as of Oct 19, 2026.Better C++ SyntaxInstalls on VS Code Marketplace · Last 90 days12,791,502installs12.8M12.8M12.8M12.8M12.8M12.8M12.8MJul 21Aug 5Aug 20Sep 4Sep 19Oct 4Oct 19installsobservedarchived (Internet Archive)no observationsOct 16, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026 · 4 observations · Updated Oct…pluginstats.com
Better C++ Syntax installs on VS Code Marketplace, last 90 days: 12,791,502 installs as of Oct 19, 2026.
PNG SVG

7/30/90-day growth

Better C++ Syntax installs growth on VS Code Marketplace: 7-day growth unavailable, 30-day growth unavailable, 90-day growth unavailable.Better C++ SyntaxInstalls growth on VS Code Marketplace12,791,502installs now7-day growthinsufficient historyInsufficient history30-day growthinsufficient historyInsufficient history90-day growthinsufficient historyInsufficient historyGrowth vs. nearest observation to each baseline date · Updated Oct 19, 2026pluginstats.com
Better C++ Syntax installs growth on VS Code Marketplace: 7-day growth unavailable, 30-day growth unavailable, 90-day growth unavailable.
PNG SVG

Ranking history

Better C++ Syntax VS Code Marketplace ranking history: currently #84 (by installs).Better C++ SyntaxVS Code Marketplace ranking · by installs · Last 90 days#84current rank#82#83#84#85#86Jul 21Aug 5Aug 20Sep 4Sep 19Oct 4Oct 19rankOct 16, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026 · 4 observations · Updated Oct 19, 2026pluginstats.com
Better C++ Syntax VS Code Marketplace ranking history: currently #84 (by installs).
PNG SVG

Ratings over time

Better C++ Syntax ratings on VS Code Marketplace, last 90 days: 16 ratings as of Oct 19, 2026.Better C++ SyntaxRatings on VS Code Marketplace · Last 90 days16ratings1414.51515.51616.51717.518Jul 21Aug 5Aug 20Sep 4Sep 19Oct 4Oct 19ratingsobservedarchived (Internet Archive)no observationsOct 16, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026 · 4 observations · Updated Oct…pluginstats.com
Better C++ Syntax ratings on VS Code Marketplace, last 90 days: 16 ratings as of Oct 19, 2026.
PNG SVG

Listing placement

All VS Code Marketplace2,501 listings · 126 pages · 1,252 shown · page 5, #4 (overall #84)
All VS Code Marketplace: every listing in installs order
PNG SVG

Listing placement

Programming Languages792 listings · 40 pages · page 2, #19 (overall #39)
Programming Languages: every listing in installs order
PNG SVG

Filled points are observed values; hollow points come from Internet Archive snapshots of the listing page. Dashed segments span periods with no observations — values between points are not interpolated.

Each band is one page of 20. Installs on a log scale. Placement is projected from installs, so it can differ from the marketplace's own sort order. Hover a dot to see the listing.

Recent observations

Full history (4)
Recent installs observations for Better C++ Syntax
Date (UTC)InstallsChange vs. previous
12,791,502+798
12,790,704+498
12,790,206+923
12,789,283—

Similar VS Code Marketplace Programming Languages plugins

All 20 Better C++ Syntax alternatives

Data source

Install counts, average rating, and rating counts come from the public Visual Studio Marketplace gallery API. Installs are cumulative and exclude updates.

Listing: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=jeff-hykin.better-cpp-syntax. First seen Oct 16, 2026; last successful collection Oct 19, 2026. See the methodology.