article freshness pass

GitHubber17 · GitHubber17 · commit 160456c114a7 · 2026-02-19T11:28:49.000-08:00
diff --git a/articles/api-center/govern-apis-vscode-extension.md b/articles/api-center/govern-apis-vscode-extension.md
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 ---
-title: Govern APIs - VS Code extension
+title: Govern APIs - Visual Studio Code Extension
 description: API developers can use the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code to govern their organization's APIs.
 author: dlepow
 ms.service: azure-api-center
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 10/16/2024
+ms.date: 02/19/2026
 ms.author: danlep 
 ms.custom:
   - sfi-image-nochange
@@ -18,45 +18,47 @@ To maximize success of your API governance efforts, it's critical to shift-left
 The Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code includes the following governance capabilities for API developers:
  
 * Evaluating API designs against API style guides as the API is developed in Visual Studio Code. 
-* Early detection of breaking changes so that APIs remain reliable and function as expected, preserving the trust of end-users and stakeholders. 
+* Early detection of breaking changes so APIs remain reliable and function as expected, preserving the trust of end-users and stakeholders. 
 
 API developers can also take advantage of features in the extension to [register APIs](build-register-apis-vscode-extension.md) in the API center and [discover and consume APIs](discover-apis-vscode-extension.md).
 
 [!INCLUDE [vscode-extension-basic-prerequisites](includes/vscode-extension-basic-prerequisites.md)]  
 
-* [Spectral extension for Visual Studio Code](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=stoplight.spectral) - to run shift-left API design conformance checks in Visual Studio Code
-* [Optic CLI](https://github.com/opticdev/optic) - to detect breaking changes between API specification documents
+* [Spectral extension for Visual Studio Code](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=stoplight.spectral) to run shift-left API design conformance checks in Visual Studio Code.
+
+* [Optic CLI](https://github.com/opticdev/optic) to detect breaking changes between API specification documents.
 
 [!INCLUDE [vscode-extension-setup](includes/vscode-extension-setup.md)]  
 
 ## API design conformance
 
 To ensure design conformance with organizational standards as you build APIs, the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code provides integrated support for API specification linting with [Spectral](https://stoplight.io/open-source/spectral).
 
-1. Use the **Ctrl+Shift+P** keyboard shortcut to open the Command Palette. Type **Azure API Center: Set active API Style Guide** and hit **Enter**.
-2. Select one of the default rules provided, or, if your organization has a style guide already available, use **Select Local File** or **Input Remote URL** to specify the active ruleset in Visual Studio Code. Hit **Enter**.
+1. Use the **Ctrl**+**Shift**+**P** keyboard shortcut to open the Command Palette. Type **Azure API Center: Set active API Style Guide** followed by the **Enter** key.
+
+1. Select one of the default rules provided. If your organization has a style guide already available, select the **Select Local File** or **Input Remote URL** option and specify the active ruleset in Visual Studio Code. Select **Enter**.
 
-Once an active API style guide is set, opening any OpenAPI or AsyncAPI-based specification file triggers a local linting operation in Visual Studio Code. Results are displayed both inline in the editor and in the Problems window (**View** > **Problems** or **Ctrl+Shift+M**).
+After an active API style guide is set, opening any OpenAPI or AsyncAPI-based specification file triggers a local linting operation in Visual Studio Code. Results are displayed both inline in the editor and in the **Problems** window (**View** > **Problems** or **Ctrl**+**Shift**+**M**).
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/local-linting.png" alt-text="Screenshot of local-linting in Visual Studio Code." lightbox="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/local-linting.png":::
 
 ## Breaking change detection
 
-When introducing new versions of your API, it's important to ensure that changes introduced do not break API consumers on previous versions of your API. The Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code makes this easy with breaking change detection for OpenAPI specification documents powered by [Optic](https://github.com/opticdev/optic).
+When introducing new versions of your API, it's important to ensure that changes introduced don't break API consumers on previous versions of your API. The Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code makes this task easy with breaking change detection for OpenAPI specification documents powered by [Optic](https://github.com/opticdev/optic).
 
-1. Use the **Ctrl+Shift+P** keyboard shortcut to open the Command Palette. Type **Azure API Center: Detect Breaking Change** and hit **Enter**.
-2. Select the first API specification document to compare. Valid options include API specifications found in your API center, a local file, or the active editor in Visual Studio Code.
-3. Select the second API specification document to compare. Valid options include API specifications found in your API center, a local file, or the active editor in Visual Studio Code.
+1. Use the **Ctrl**+**Shift**+**P** keyboard shortcut to open the Command Palette. Type **Azure API Center: Detect Breaking Change** followed by the **Enter** key.
 
-Visual Studio Code opens a diff view between the two API specifications. Any breaking changes are displayed both inline in the editor and in the Problems window (**View** > **Problems** or **Ctrl+Shift+M**).
+1. Select the first API specification document to compare. Valid options include API specifications found in your API center, a local file, or the active editor in Visual Studio Code.
 
-:::image type="content" source="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/breaking-changes.png" alt-text="Screenshot of breaking changes detected in Visual Studio Code." lightbox="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/breaking-changes.png":::
+1. Select the second API specification document to compare. Valid options include API specifications found in your API center, a local file, or the active editor in Visual Studio Code.
 
+Visual Studio Code opens a diff view between the two API specifications. Any breaking changes are displayed both inline in the editor and in the **Problems** window (**View** > **Problems** or **Ctrl**+**Shift**+**M**).
+
+:::image type="content" source="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/breaking-changes.png" alt-text="Screenshot of breaking changes detected in Visual Studio Code." lightbox="media/govern-apis-vscode-extension/breaking-changes.png":::
 
 ## Related content
 
 * [Azure API Center - key concepts](key-concepts.md)
 * [Build and register APIs with the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code](build-register-apis-vscode-extension.md)
 * [Discover and consume APIs with the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code](discover-apis-vscode-extension.md)
-* [Enable and view API Center portal in Visual Studio Code](enable-api-center-portal-vs-code-extension.md)
-
+* [Enable and view the API Center portal in Visual Studio Code](enable-api-center-portal-vs-code-extension.md)
diff --git a/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-basic-prerequisites.md b/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-basic-prerequisites.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: Include file
-description: Include file
+description: Basic prerequisites for using the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code.
 services: api-center
 author: dlepow
 
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ ms.custom: Include file
     
 * [Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=apidev.azure-api-center)
 
-* One or more API centers in your Azure subscription. You can [create an API center using the Azure API Center extension](../set-up-api-center-vs-code-extension.md) or other tools.
+* One or more API centers in your Azure subscription. You can [create an API center by using the Azure API Center extension](../set-up-api-center-vs-code-extension.md) or other tools.
 
-    * Currently, you need to be assigned the Azure API Center Service Contributor role or higher permissions on an API center to manage APIs with the extension.
+   * To manage APIs with the extension, you currently need the Azure API Center Service Contributor role or higher permissions on an API center.
diff --git a/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-prerelease-features.md b/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-prerelease-features.md
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 ---
 title: Include file
-description: Include file
+description: Describes how to install and select specific versions of the Azure API Center extension in Visual Studio Code.
 services: api-center
 author: dlepow
 
 ms.service: azure-api-center
 ms.topic: include
-ms.date: 09/23/2024
+ms.date: 02/19/2026
 ms.author: danlep
 ms.custom: Include file
 ---
 
-When installing the extension from the [Visual Studio Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=apidev.azure-api-center&ssr=false#overview), you can choose to install the release version or a pre-release version. Switch between the two versions at any time by using the extension's **Manage** button context menu in the Extensions view. 
+When you install the extension from the [Visual Studio Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=apidev.azure-api-center&ssr=false#overview), you can choose to install the release version or a prerelease version (as available). To switch between installed versions, select the extension's **Manage** button (gear icon) in the **Extensions** view in Visual Studio Code. 
diff --git a/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-setup.md b/articles/api-center/includes/vscode-extension-setup.md
@@ -1,24 +1,29 @@
 ---
 title: Include file
-description: Include file
+description: The setup procedure for the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code.
 services: api-center
 author: dlepow
 
 ms.service: azure-api-center
 ms.topic: include
-ms.date: 06/24/2025
+ms.date: 02/19/2026
 ms.author: danlep
 ms.custom: Include file
 ---
 
 ## Extension setup
 
+Set up the extension by following these steps:
+
 1. Install the Azure API Center extension for Visual Studio Code from the [Visual Studio Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=apidev.azure-api-center). Install other extensions as needed.
 
-    > [!NOTE]
-    > Where noted, certain features are available only in the Azure API Center extension's pre-release version. [!INCLUDE [vscode-extension-prerelease-features](vscode-extension-prerelease-features.md)]
-1. In Visual Studio Code, in the Activity Bar on the left, select API Center.
+   > [!NOTE]
+   > The `[PREVIEW]` notation indicates features available only in the prerelease version of the Azure API Center extension. [!INCLUDE [vscode-extension-prerelease-features](vscode-extension-prerelease-features.md)]
+
+1. In Visual Studio Code, in the Activity bar, select API Center:
+
+   :::image type="content" source="media/vscode-extension-setup/api-center-activity-bar.png" border="false" alt-text="Screenshot of API Center extension icon in the Visual Studio Code Activity bar.":::
+
+1. If you're not signed in to your Azure account, select **Sign in to Azure**, and follow the prompts to sign in. 
 
-    :::image type="content" source="media/vscode-extension-setup/api-center-activity-bar.png" alt-text="Screenshot of API Center extension in the activity bar.":::
-1. If you're not signed in to your Azure account, select **Sign in to Azure...**, and follow the prompts to sign in. 
-    Select an Azure subscription with the API center (or API centers) you wish to view APIs from. You can also filter on specific subscriptions if you have many to view from.
+1. Select an Azure subscription with the API center (or API centers) that has the APIs you want to view. If you have multiple accounts, you can filter on specific subscriptions.
