# Visual Studio for Mac reaches general availability

> We've been looking forward to it. Build 2017 brings us Visual Studio for Mac in the final version. Install and configure Visual Studio for Mac When installing this…

- Author: Jérôme Giacomini
- Language: en
- Canonical URL: [Visual Studio for Mac reaches general availability](https://jeromegiacomini.net/articles/visual-studio-for-mac-reaches-general-availability)
- Last modified: 2026-09-05
- Topics: .NET, DevOps, Xamarin, Windows

We've been looking forward to it. [Build 2017](https://blogs.infinitesquare.com/categories/build2017) brings us Visual Studio for Mac in the final version.

## Install and configure Visual Studio for Mac

When installing this one, he proposes to install several additional components:
- The Android development kit, along with Xamarin Android.
- The iOS development kit, along with Xamarin iOS.
- The Mac development kit, along with Xamarin Mac.
- The .NET Core development kit as well as all the tools to develop .NET Core on macOS
- Workbooks: the tool for having interactive code examples


![V.S.M.C. Choix.png](/media/sans-date/visual-studio-for-mac-sort-en-version-finale/images/5-ed81d8b4-d6ed-4af3-87cc-d2be0278839f_VS_MAC_Choix.png)
![VS_MAC_Installation.png](/media/sans-date/visual-studio-for-mac-sort-en-version-finale/images/83-585a2105-b6a1-4bd5-aa70-a3d785914240_VS_MAC_Installation.png)

## First launch

When we first launch, we see that Visual Studio is configured as the community version.
![V.S.M.C.](/media/sans-date/visual-studio-for-mac-sort-en-version-finale/images/31-86213f95-c667-4367-9459-514c53da23c3_VS_MAC.png)
After I identify myself with my Microsoft Pro account, it automatically switches to the Enterprise version.![V.S_MAC_company.png](/media/sans-date/visual-studio-for-mac-sort-en-version-finale/images/6-69b24137-5dfc-4e68-8ad2-cea5b6166e49_VS_MAC_entreprise.png)

## Opening up several solutions

One of the most embarrassing things when you start developing on Mac is when you open a solution, if a solution is already open in Visual Studio for Mac it closes the current solution to open the new one.

 To solve this problem, nothing simpler, when you open a solution you have to unlock "Close current workspace".
![V.S_MAC_open2 solutions.png](https://infiniteblogs.blob.core.windows.net:443/medias/cc92e0e0-7c2a-46b0-b3f0-3fecf558445c_VS_MAC_open2solutions.png)

## What about Xamarin Studio in all this?

Visual Studio for Mac is the evolution of Xamarin Studio.
 Microsoft's idea is to have a consistent name among all the IDEs they develop.

 Now Visual Studio is in three movements:
- Visual Studio 20XX (the dedicated version for Windows)
- Visual Studio Code (the free version of a text editor comparable to a Notepad ++)
- Visual Studio for Mac (the version dedicated to macOS)


## Conclusion

Visual Studio for Mac is the perfect tool for making your .NET Core developments on Mac or your Xamarin developments.

Happy coding .