vscode-llm-file-companion

vscode-llm-file-companion is a Visual Studio Code extension that simplifies aggregating file contents into a single document for use with large language models (LLMs). It collects text-based files (like .py, .md, .js, .html, .java, etc.) along with metadata from your workspace and appends them into one document (LLM_doc.txt by default, but customizable). The extension automatically skips binary or non-readable files.

Features

• Aggregate Files into a Single Document
  Append readable text-based files into one document (defaults to LLM_doc.txt).
• Multi-Select Support
  Select any combination of files and directories in the Explorer and append them all at once.
• Workspace Tree & Metadata
  Automatically regenerates a project overview (name, counts, tree structure) at the top of the document with configurable verbosity.
• Gitignore / .llmignore Aware
  Automatically skips any files/folders ignored by your workspace .gitignore or custom .llmignore.
• Skip Binary or Non-Readable Files
  Automatically detects and skips files with binary or non-printable content.
• Support for Multiple File Types
  Compatible with popular formats like .py, .md, .js, .html, .java, and more.
• Automatic Document Creation
  Automatically creates the configured output file at the root of your workspace if it doesn't already exist.

Example Workflow

1. Select one or more files/directories in your workspace (multi-select works via Ctrl/Cmd+click).
2. Right-click the selection (or simply run the command from the palette with nothing selected to process the entire workspace).
3. Choose "Append File to LLM Doc" to regenerate the project overview header and append readable content into your configured document.

Extension Settings

No configuration is required. The extension works automatically with your workspace files.

Release Notes

Version 1.0.0

• Initial release with core features:
  • Basic file appending functionality.
  • Automatic skipping of binary and non-readable files.
  • Auto-creation of the configured document if it does not exist.
  • Enhanced error handling for unreadable files.
  • Improved notifications for skipped files.

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace:

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Go to the Extensions View by clicking the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar.
3. Search for LLM File Companion and click Install.

From the Command Line:

Run the following command to install the extension:

code --install-extension vscode-llm-file-companion

Usage

1. Append File to LLM Doc

• Select one or many files/directories (or the entire workspace folder) in the Explorer, or run the command from the Command Palette with no selection to target the workspace root automatically.
• Right-click and choose "Append File to LLM Doc" (or trigger it from the palette).
• The project metadata + tree header is refreshed and readable files are appended to your configured document.

2. Open LLM Doc

• Use the "Open LLM Doc" command to access the configured document where all aggregated content is stored.

3. Refresh LLM Doc Overview

• Run "Refresh LLM Doc Overview" from the Command Palette to rebuild the metadata/tree header without appending any files.

Configuration

Fine-tune the project overview by searching for "LLM File Companion" in VS Code settings or editing your settings JSON directly:

• llmFileCompanion.output.filePath - change the destination document (relative to the workspace or absolute).
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.enabled - master switch for prepending the overview block.
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.includeMetadata - toggle workspace metadata (name, path, counts, timestamp).
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.includeTree - toggle the ASCII tree diagram.
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.template - pick the overview style (full, metadata-only, tree-only, summary).
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.treeMaxDepth - limit how deep the tree expands (set to 0 for unlimited; counts follow the same depth).
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.treeMaxEntriesPerDirectory - cap how many items appear per directory before a (+N more...) summary line is shown.
• llmFileCompanion.projectOverview.excludedNames - list of folder/file name patterns (supports * wildcards) to ignore in the tree (e.g., .venv, dist, *.log).

Disable both metadata and tree to append raw file contents without any overview.

Enjoy using vscode-llm-file-companion!
Feel free to share your feedback or report issues.