In this episode, Christy Nguyen shares her journey through various Microsoft internship programs, culminating in a Software Engineer internship on the VS Code team where she contributed a key Git worktrees feature. She reflects on the challenges and learning experiences of working on a large open source project, emphasizing the value of mentorship, collaboration, and the use of AI tools in development.
In this episode of the VS Code Insiders podcast, host James Monttoagno interviews Christy Nguyen on her last day as a Software Engineer Intern on the VS Code team at Microsoft. Christy shares her journey into tech, starting from her junior year in high school when she took AP Computer Science and discovered her passion for coding. She further developed her skills through a Microsoft-sponsored program called Computing for All, which led her to participate in multiple Microsoft internship programs including Discovery, Explore, and finally the SWE internship on the VS Code team. Christy emphasizes how each program progressively introduced her to different aspects of tech roles, from user experience and product management to full-time coding.
Christy explains the differences between the internship programs she participated in. The Discovery internship was less technical and focused on user experience and understanding Microsoft’s work culture. The Explore internship introduced her to product management processes and some development work, such as coding a date picker feature. Her SWE internship was the most coding-intensive, where she contributed directly to the VS Code product and shipped features to users. She highlights how these experiences gave her a well-rounded perspective on software development, including the importance of user research and collaboration.
During her SWE internship, Christy worked on a highly requested feature for the VS Code Git extension: support for Git worktrees. This feature allows developers to work on multiple branches simultaneously without stashing changes or switching branches repeatedly. Christy describes how worktrees share the same Git history but have separate checkouts, saving disk space and enabling parallel workflows. She demonstrates how users can create and manage worktrees within VS Code, making it easier to test and develop multiple solutions concurrently. This feature is particularly useful for advanced workflows, such as AI-assisted development.
Christy reflects on her experience working on a large, fast-moving open source project like VS Code. She found the initial onboarding overwhelming but appreciated the supportive team environment, especially the help from a mentor who guided her through breaking down complex tasks. She also shares how the team encourages the use of AI tools in coding, which was a new and exciting approach for her. Despite some challenges, including introducing a regression that was quickly flagged by the community, Christy values the learning opportunities and the collaborative culture that helped her grow as an engineer.
Looking ahead, Christy plans to continue her studies at the University of Washington and is eager to contribute to open source projects like VS Code outside of internships. She encourages others interested in tech to get involved in open source as a way to build skills and connect with the community. Christy also hopes to return to Microsoft for future internships and possibly beyond. The episode closes with James thanking Christy for sharing her inspiring journey and encouraging listeners to explore the resources and features discussed during the interview.