FTP Solution: An FTP Extension for VS Code

This is an updated version of the existing FTP extension for Visual Studio Code (ftp-simple from humy2833), improved with a new visual interface, connection management features, and a backup system for safer file handling.

✨ New Features & Improvements

🔌 Visual Connection Manager

Added a graphical interface to manage all FTP connections.
No longer necessary to create or open connections through manual commands.
Connections can now be:
- Created via modal dialogs
- Edited through the UI
- Deleted easily
- Connected with a simple click

🔍 Connection Search

A search bar has been introduced to quickly filter and locate connections within the list.
Makes managing large numbers of servers faster and more efficient.

💾 Automatic Backup System

Each time a file is accessed for the first time in a day, a backup copy is automatically created.
Edited files are saved as versioned backups, separated into folders that mirror the server’s structure.
Ensures you always have a restore point for your files.

🖥️ Workspace Naming Adjustment

The workspace name is now automatically synchronized with the connection name.
Useful for working with multiple VS Code windows connected to different servers, so you always know which connection you are on.

🚀 Getting Started

Install the extension in Visual Studio Code.
Open the FTP Connections Manager panel from the activity bar.
Use the interface to create, edit, delete, or search connections.
Click a connection to connect and start working.

📝 Notes

Backups are stored in local folders, structured the same way as on the server.
Ensure you have enough disk space if you work with large files or many servers.

Original Code Documentation: (ftp-simple from humy2833)

Functions

Directly Open, Edit and Save on server files.
Save the local file or directory to server(upload and backup option)
Download the file or directory from ftp server.
Create a directory on the remote server directly.
Delete directory(recursive) and files directly from the server.
Rename Change the file name on the FTP server.
Compare a local file server file.
Remote directory open to workspace (Beta version)

Available commands

config - Set the ftp connection information.
create directory - Create a directory on ftp server.
open - Open the file directly from ftp server and when you save upload it to the ftp server.
save - File or directory upload to ftp server.(Available from the context menu)
download - Download the file or directory from ftp server to the workspace.
delete - Delete the file or directory directly from ftp server.
rename - Change the file name on the FTP server.
diff - Compare a local file server file.
Remote directory open to workspace - (Beta version) Open the directory directly on workspace from the ftp server. Similar to remote synchronization. (Caution : So remote delete a files is only possible using 'Delete' in the context menu)

Caution

Be sure to check the console(Ctrl + Shift + U)("OUTPUT -> ftp-simple") for a response to the all action.

Startup Settings

Press 'F1'
Enter 'ftp-simple'
Pick 'CONFIG'
Enter ftp connection information and save

Config setting example

See the easy-ftp details.

name - string - Display name.
host - string - server domain or ip.
port - number - (option) port (Default: : 21)
type - string - (option) ftp type. 'ftp' or 'sftp' (Default: : 'ftp'). If 'ftp' does not work, try 'ftp2'.
username - string - username for authentication.
password - string - (option) password for authentication.
privateKey - string - (option) (only sftp) String that contains a private key for either key-based or hostbased user authentication (OpenSSH format) Default: none
passphrase - string - (option) Use sftp 'privateKey' only. For an encrypted private key, this is the passphrase used to decrypt it. Default: none
agent - string - (option) (only sftp) Path to ssh-agent's UNIX socket for ssh-agent-based user authentication. Important: Windows users: set to 'pageant' for authenticating with Pageant or (actual) path to a cygwin "UNIX socket." Default: none
agentForward - boolean - (option) (only sftp) Set to true to use OpenSSH agent forwarding (auth-agent@openssh.com) for the life of the connection. agent must also be set to use this feature. Default: false
secure - boolean - (only ftp) Explicit FTPS over TLS, default: false
secureOptions - object - (only ftp) Options for TLS, same as for tls.connect() in Node.js.
path - string - (option) remote root path. Default: '/'
autosave - boolean - (option) To determine whether the automatically uploaded when you open a file directly and modify and save. Default: true
backup - string - (option) The local path you want to back up before file saving on the server.
confirm - boolean - (option) Only save option. When you save the file, ask if you want to overwrite the file if it already exists.. Default: true
project - object - (option) Only save option. Pre-specify local workspace path and server root path to save directly without selecting a path. Overwrite unconditionally.
ignore - array - (option) Only 'Remote directory open to workspace' option. Path to be ignore. Use glog pattern. (Caution : server path (ex:/home) + ignore pattern (ex:/**/node_modules) => /home/**/node_modules)

Example

[
	{
		"name": "my server1",
		"host": "127.0.0.1",
		"port": 21,
		"type": "ftp",
		"username": "id",
		"password": "pw",
		"path" : "/"
	},
	{
		"name": "my server1 with tls",
		"host": "127.0.0.1",
		"port": 21,
		"type": "ftp",
		"username": "id",
		"password": "pw",
		"secure" : true,
		//"secureOptions" : {"rejectUnauthorized": false, "secureProtocol" :"TLSv1_2_method"},
		"path" : "/"
	},
	{
		"name": "my server2",
		"host": "127.0.0.1",
		"port": 22,
		"type": "sftp",
		"username": "id",
		"password": "pw",
		"path" : "/",
		"autosave" : false
	},
	{
		"name": "my server3",
		"host": "127.0.0.1",
		"port": 21,
		"type": "sftp",
		"username": "id",
		"password": "pw",
		"path" : "/home",
		"confirm" : false,
		"backup" : "C:/backup",
		"project" :  {
			"c:/projects/project1" : "/home/user/project",
			"c:/projects/project2" : {"path":"/home/user/project2", "save":true}  //When the "save" value is "true", save immediately without confirm
		},
		"ignore" : ["/**/node_modules", "/**/*.class"]
	},
	{
		"name": "my server4",
		"host": "127.0.0.1",
		"port": 22,
		"type": "sftp",
		"username": "id",
		"password": "x",
		"agent": "/run/user/1111/keyring/ssh",
		"path": "/",
		"autosave": true,
		"confirm": false
	},
	....
]

Remote Config(option)

"File - Preferences - Settings" and type in the format shown below.

ftp-simple.remote-workspace - string - (option) You can modify the local workspace path when you open a remote file. Modify this option if remote file encoding is not UTF-8.(VSCode appears to have encoding recognition bugs if the workspace path is longer.)
ftp-simple.remote-workspace-load-all - boolean - (option) Indicates whether all files are loaded during initial run. If false, the sub folder ([DIR]) will load when it is clicked. Default: true