Getting Started

Everything you need to go from zero to running Cambridge 0478 pseudocode — in one short guide.

1. Install Visual Studio Code Editor

The IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit is built as a Visual Studio Code extension. Visual Studio Code is the world’s most widely used code editor, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux by millions of coders.

Download & install Visual Studio Code from https://code.visualstudio.com/

2. Install Our Toolkit Extension

Open Visual Studio Code application on your computer.
In VS Code, open the Extensions panel (one of these methods):
1. Click on extensions icon in the left icon sidebar, OR
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + X (Windows/Linux) OR Cmd + Shift + X (macOS) on your keyboard, OR
3. Run this in the Visual Studio Code Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P):, OR
```
ext install igcse-0478-and-a-level-9618-toolkit
```
4. On the top menu bar click on View > Open View
  - Search box pops up
  - Type Extensions and press Enter
In the Search Extensions in Marketplace box search
1. Search for IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit
2. Click on IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit in the list of extensions.
3. Click on Install in the IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit extension page.
4. Wait for the installation to complete.

3. Get Your License Key

a) Buy The Extension

The IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit is available as a paid extension. Pro features include

Pro features include:

Pseudocode syntax check & highlighting
Pseudocode snippets & IntelliSense
Run Pseudocode
Flowchart generation
Trace table generation
Pseudocode debugger
Logic circuit simulator, truth tables and expression simplifier
SQL “SELECT” query visualizer

You can purchase the extension on igcse0478.com. Click on the “Purchase Pro Mastery” button on the pricing table and follow the checkout process.

Once you make the payment, you’ll receive a license key via email - like so

b) Activate The Extension

To activate the extension, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio Code and press Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on macOS) to open the Command Palette.
Search for License Manager and select the item IGCSE 0478 & A Level 9618 Toolkit: License Manager.
Paste the license key from your purchase confirmation email and press Enter.
You’ll see a confirmation notification — all Pro features are now unlocked.

Write Your First Pseudocode Program

Create a new file called hello.pseudo and type:

DECLARE Name : STRING
OUTPUT "What is your name?"
INPUT Name
OUTPUT "Hello, ", Name, "! Welcome to Paper 2."

You’ll immediately notice:

Syntax highlighting — keywords like DECLARE, OUTPUT, and INPUT are colour-coded.
IntelliSense — start typing a keyword and the extension suggests completions.
Real-time linting — if you make a typo or forget a type declaration, errors appear instantly in the editor.

Run Your Program

Press Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on macOS) and search for:

IGCSE: Run Pseudocode

Your program executes in the integrated terminal. You’ll be prompted to type your name, and the output appears immediately — just like it would in a real exam scenario.

Explore the Core Features

Syntax Highlighting & Snippets (Free)

The extension ships with dozens of ready-made code snippets for common exam patterns. Type for, while, array, or case and press Tab to expand a full template.

Real-Time Error Detection (Free)

Syntax and naming errors are caught before you run. The linter enforces Cambridge’s exact conventions — PascalCase for identifiers, correct type declarations, and proper control-flow structure.

Run & Execute (Free)

Execute pseudocode programs with full INPUT/OUTPUT support. Test your logic interactively in the terminal.

Step-Through Debugger (Pro)

Set breakpoints and step through your pseudocode line-by-line. Watch variable values change in real time — the same skill you’ll need for trace table questions on the exam.

Flowchart Generation (Pro)

Automatically generate a visual flowchart from your pseudocode. This is invaluable for understanding program flow and identifying structural issues before writing anything on paper.

Trace Table Engine (Pro)

Auto-generate trace tables that show variable changes at each step — formatted exactly how the Cambridge mark scheme expects them.

Logic Circuit Simulator (Pro)

Draw and simulate logic circuits with AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, and XOR gates. Generate truth tables and Karnaugh maps automatically.

SQL Execution Visualizer (Pro)

Write SQL queries and see a visual breakdown of how SELECT, JOIN, and WHERE clauses are processed step by step.

Try the Debugger

Create a file called countdown.pseudo:

DECLARE Counter : INTEGER
Counter ← 10

WHILE Counter > 0
    OUTPUT Counter
    Counter ← Counter - 1
ENDWHILE

OUTPUT "Liftoff!"

Open the Command Palette and run:

IGCSE: Debug Pseudocode

Click the gutter (left of the line numbers) to set a breakpoint, then use the debug toolbar to step through each iteration. Watch Counter decrement in the variables panel — this is exactly how trace table questions work.

What’s Next?

You’re all set. Here are some suggested next steps:

Practice exam-style problems — Create .pseudo files for past paper questions and run them to verify your logic.
Use .ptest files — Write test cases that automatically validate your pseudocode output against expected results.
Explore Logic Gates — Create .logic files to build and simulate circuits for Paper 2’s logic gate questions.
Try SQL queries — Use the SQL visualizer to master the database section of the exam.