Unlocking Smarter Code Navigation and Lightning-Fast IntelliSense: What’s New in Python for VS Code (March 2026)
The March 2026 update to the Python extension for Visual Studio Code brings two game-changing features that will transform how you explore code and experience IntelliSense. Whether you're diving into a new library or working on a massive project, these enhancements are designed to save you time and keep you in the flow. Below, we break down everything you need to know about searching symbols in installed packages and the experimental Rust-based parallel indexer.
What major features does the March 2026 Python extension introduce?
This release focuses on two key improvements: expanded symbol search across installed packages and an experimental Rust-based parallel indexer for dramatically faster IntelliSense. The first feature lets you locate any function, class, or variable from your active virtual environment’s site-packages using the familiar Workspace Symbol search (Cmd/Ctrl+T). The second reworks Pylance’s indexing engine to run out-of-process, leveraging Rust’s performance to achieve up to 10× speed improvements on large codebases. Both features are opt-in, giving you control over performance and functionality.
How does the new package symbol search work in VS Code?
When you enable the Python › Analysis: Include Venv In Workspace Symbols setting, Pylance indexes symbols from packages installed in your current virtual environment. These symbols then appear alongside your project’s own definitions when you use Workspace Symbol search. For libraries without a py.typed file, only publicly exported symbols (via __init__.py or __all__) are included, keeping results clean and relevant. You can further control the depth of indexing per package via Python › Analysis: Package Index Depths, which lets you balance search scope with performance.
Why is the package symbol search opt-in, and how do I enable it?
Indexing installed packages can impact performance, especially if you have many large libraries. That’s why this feature is deliberately opt-in. To turn it on, go to Settings (Cmd+, on macOS or Ctrl+, on Windows/Linux), search for “Include Venv In Workspace Symbols”, and check the box under Python › Analysis. After enabling, you’ll instantly start seeing symbols from your active virtual environment when you press Cmd/Ctrl+T. This gives you richer code exploration without altering the default behavior for other users.
What is the experimental Rust-based parallel indexer?
The new indexer is a complete rewrite of Pylance’s indexing engine in Rust, running as a separate process. It parallelizes the work of building symbol indexes for completions, auto-imports, and workspace symbol search. In internal testing, this approach delivered an average 10× speedup on large Python projects, meaning faster completions after opening a workspace and a more responsive IntelliSense experience overall. Because it’s still experimental, the team wants to validate performance and stability across diverse environments before making it the default.
How do I try the experimental parallel indexer?
To enable it, open Settings and search for “Parallel Indexing”. Then check Enable Parallel Indexing (Experimental) under Python › Analysis. Alternatively, add "python.analysis.enableParallelIndexing": true to your settings.json file. Afterward, reload VS Code (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → Reload Window) to ensure the new indexer starts cleanly. The performance gains are most noticeable on large projects; small projects may see little difference. If you try it, the team welcomes your feedback—whether you experience faster completions or any unexpected slowdown.
Where can I find the full list of improvements in this release?
For a complete changelog covering both the Python extension and Pylance, visit the official Python extension changelog and the Pylance changelog. There you’ll find details on additional bug fixes, minor enhancements, and behind-the-scenes improvements that didn’t make it into the feature announcements.