⚡ SpeedSkel

Instantly create, convert, and extract project folder & file skeletons using simple text.

SpeedSkel is a Visual Studio Code extension designed for developers who want maximum speed, clarity, and control when scaffolding or refactoring projects.

It turns plain text into real folder structures — and back again.

✨ Why SpeedSkel?

• 🚀 Zero boilerplate project scaffolding
• 🧠 Human-readable structure grammar
• 🔁 Convert between Tree and Dash formats
• 📂 Extract existing project structure
• 🧼 Clean UI — no editor interference

If you can describe a structure, SpeedSkel can build it.

🚀 Features

• 🏗️ Create full folder & file structures from text
• 🌳 Paste real ASCII tree output (tree command supported)
• ➖ Dash-based grammar for fast typing
• 🔁 Tree ↔ Dash mode conversion (one click)
• 🧠 Intelligent root handling (explicit & implicit)
• ✍️ Inline, newline & mixed input supported
• 🕘 History of last 10 unique skeletons
• 📂 Get current workspace structure

🧠 Core Concept (Important)

• Dash Mode is the internal & canonical format
• Tree Mode is a visual, copy‑paste friendly format
• Mode buttons act as converters, not just UI toggles
• The first item is always treated as the root

If it looks correct as a tree, SpeedSkel will build it correctly.

📱 Input Modes

➖ Dash Mode (Structure Grammar)

Each hyphen (-) represents one depth level.

-MyApp
--src
---index.ts
--README.md

Rules

• Maximum supported depth: 4
• File → contains a dot (index.ts)
• Folder → no dot (src)

🌳 Tree Mode (ASCII Diagram)

Paste ASCII tree output directly from terminal or documentation.

MyApp/
├── src/
│   └── index.ts
└── README.md

✔ Supports real tree command output ✔ Supports ├──, └──, │ characters ✔ Explicit root folders are preserved

🔁 Mode Toggle = Converter

Switching between Tree Mode and Dash Mode automatically converts the current input.

• Content present → converted instantly
• Empty editor → no conversion
• Hierarchy is always preserved

✍️ Writing Structures

Newline Mode (Default)

-package.json
-tsconfig.json

-frontend
--index.html
--assets
---logo.svg

Inline Mode (Power Users)

-package.json -tsconfig.json -frontend --index.html --assets ---logo.svg

Spaces are automatically converted into new lines internally.

Mixed Mode (Recommended)

-package.json -tsconfig.json

-frontend --index.html --assets ---logo.svg

📁 Files vs Folders

📂 Get Current Structure

Click Get Current Structure to scan your active workspace and generate a text-based representation.

• Output format matches the current mode
• Recursive scan with smart exclusions

Ignored by Default

node_modules
.git
.vscode
dist
build
out
.next
coverage

🕘 History (Recent Skeletons)

• Stores last 10 unique structures
• Click to restore instantly
• Mode preserved per entry
• Delete individual items (🗑️)

Creation is always manual — nothing runs automatically.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the root unintentionally
• Pasting malformed ASCII trees
• Mixing random spaces with tree symbols
• Creating depth jumps (parent must exist)

💡 Recommended Workflow

1. Start in Dash Mode for fast typing
2. Switch to Tree Mode to visually verify
3. Use Get Structure before refactoring
4. Create only after review

🧪 Example: Tree → Dash Conversion

(Tree)
MyApp/
├── src/
│   └── index.ts
└── README.md

⬇ converts to ⬇

-MyApp
--src
---index.ts
--README.md

🎯 Use Cases

🚀 Rapid Project Scaffolding

Create complete project folder and file structures in seconds without using generators or CLI tools. Just describe what you want and build it.

Best for: new projects, microservices, prototypes

📋 Copy Structures from Documentation

Paste ASCII tree diagrams directly from documentation, blogs, or terminal output. SpeedSkel supports real tree command output.

Best for: tutorials, onboarding guides, GitHub READMEs

🔁 Tree ↔ Dash Conversion

Switch between Tree Mode (visual) and Dash Mode (editable grammar) using mode buttons. Conversion is instant and preserves hierarchy.

Best for: reviewing, validating, refactoring structures

📂 Reverse Engineering Existing Projects

Use Get Structure to extract your current workspace structure into text, modify it safely, and recreate changes.

Best for: refactoring, audits, migrations

🧠 Architecture Planning & Reviews

Share lightweight text-based project layouts instead of screenshots or diagrams. Easy to review and modify during discussions.

Best for: design reviews, planning meetings, mentorship

📚 Teaching & Learning

Demonstrate correct project structures to students or juniors without requiring them to memorize commands or tools.

Best for: training sessions, workshops, demos

❤️ About the Creator

Created by Nitin Mane 📍 Maharashtra, India

If you find SpeedSkel useful and want to support development:

📱 PhonePe / PayTM +91 7035235235

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License (see LICENSE file).