Remote File Explorer — VS Code Extension

Remote File Explorer is a lightweight VS Code extension that opens a browsable file explorer in a Webview panel. It provides a compact visual file browser similar to a desktop file manager.

Key features

• Grid and list views for browsing files and folders
• Zoom controls (increase/decrease thumbnail size)
• Double-click behavior:
  • Double-click a folder: opens in the same webview panel
  • Shift + double-click a folder: opens in a new panel/tab
• Back / Forward / Up navigation with history tracking
• Open files in the main editor from the webview

Commands

The primary (and most convenient) way to open the Remote File Explorer is via the Explorer context menu — right-click any file or folder in the VS Code Explorer and choose "Open in Remote File Explorer" (this runs the remoteFileExplorer.openInremoteFileExplorer command for the selected resource).

The extension exposes these commands (use the Command Palette or bind keys):

• remoteFileExplorer.openInremoteFileExplorer — Open a specific folder in the Remote File Explorer (prompts for a path if none provided)
• remoteFileExplorer.openInRemoteContainingFolder — Open the containing folder of the currently active file

Roadmap

These features are planned for future releases:

High Priority

• File Management Operations
  • Multiple file/folder selection (Click + Shift/Ctrl)
  • Cut, Copy, Paste operations
  • Delete files/folders with confirmation
  • Rename files/folders
• Thumbnail Support
  • Implement FreeDesktop thumbnail specifications
  • Generate thumbnails for images, PDFs, and videos
  • Cache thumbnails according to freedesktop.org guidelines
  • Support both normal and large thumbnail sizes

Nice to Have

• Drag and drop support between panels
• File/folder creation from context menu
• List view columns (size, date modified, etc.)
• File type filtering
• Search within current folder
• Keyboard shortcuts for all operations
• Sort by (Date, Name, etc...)

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Open issues or PRs for bugs and feature requests. Keep changes focused and include tests where relevant.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file at the project root for the full text.

If you'd like, I can also add a short 'Try it' example to the README that includes sample commands and screenshots (if you provide images).