Multi-Root Pane Manager
Automatically organizes multi-root workspaces so each folder gets its own editor pane, labeled tabs, dedicated terminals, and keyboard navigation. Every feature is independently configurable -- use it all out of the box, or turn off what you don't need.
Features
Pane Management
- Automatic Layout -- Opens each workspace folder in its own editor pane. Choose from three layout modes: primary-focus, grid, or all-right.
- Smart Tab Routing -- Files automatically open in their folder's pane. Single-clicked previews are pinned to prevent replacement. Exclude specific files or patterns from routing with glob rules.
- Tab Sorting -- Sorts all open tabs into their correct panes on startup and on demand
- Sticky Tabs -- Manually moved tabs stay where you put them and won't be auto-routed again. Toggle this per-workspace if needed.
- Lazy Panes -- Panes are created on demand as you open files, avoiding empty editor groups. Disable to pre-create all panes on startup.
Tab Labels
Tabs are labeled to show which workspace folder they belong to. Pick the format that works for you:
| Format |
Example |
emoji-dir-file (default) |
🔵 backend / server.ts |
emoji-file |
🔵 server.ts |
dir-file |
backend / server.ts |
none |
server.ts (VS Code default) |
Supply your own emoji per folder with customEmoji (e.g. ["🔴", "🔵", "🟢"]), or leave it empty for the built-in palette.
Visual Cues
- Pane Tinting -- Each editor pane gets a subtle background tint based on its workspace folder. Disable with
colorPanes.
- Explorer Badges -- Files in the explorer show emoji badges by folder. Disable with
colorTabs.
Both are on by default and can be toggled independently.
Terminals
- Auto-Switch -- Switching panes automatically switches to that folder's terminal. Disable with
colorTerminals.
- Eager Creation -- Creates a terminal for every workspace folder on startup, adopting existing ones. Disable with
eagerTerminals if you prefer to create terminals manually.
- Layout -- Arrange folder terminals as separate tabs (default) or split side-by-side in one panel.
Navigation
Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+6 -- Jump to pane 1-6Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right -- Cycle through panesCtrl+Alt+N -- New file in the active folder- Status Bar -- Shows current folder name and tab count. Click to jump to any folder's pane.
All keybindings are customizable via VS Code's keyboard shortcuts settings.
Layout Modes
Primary-focus (default) -- First folder gets 70% width, others share 30%:
| F1 (70%) | F2 | F3 | (30%) |
Grid -- Balanced two-row layout:
2 folders: | F1 | F2 |
3 folders: | F1 | F2 | / | F3 |
4 folders: | F1 | F2 | / | F3 | F4 |
All-right -- Linear horizontal split:
| F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 |
Commands
| Command |
Description |
| Toggle |
Enable/disable pane management |
| Reset Pane Assignments |
Re-apply layout and sort all tabs |
| Sort All Tabs |
Move all open tabs to their correct panes |
| Focus Pane 1-6 |
Jump to a specific pane |
| Cycle Pane Left/Right |
Navigate between panes |
| Jump to Folder Pane |
Quick-pick menu to select a folder |
| Open in Correct Pane |
Right-click a file in explorer to open it in the right pane |
| New File in Active Folder |
Create a file in the active pane's folder |
All commands are prefixed with Multi-Root Pane Manager: in the command palette.
Settings
Everything is on by default. Turn off what you don't want.
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
enabled |
true |
Master switch for pane management |
layout |
"primary-focus" |
Layout mode: "primary-focus", "grid", or "all-right" |
lazyPanes |
true |
Only create panes as files are opened. Set false to pre-create all panes. |
tabLabelFormat |
"emoji-dir-file" |
Tab label format: "emoji-dir-file", "emoji-file", "dir-file", or "none" |
colorPanes |
true |
Subtle background tint on editor panes by folder |
colorTabs |
true |
Emoji badges on files in the explorer |
customEmoji |
[] |
Custom emoji per folder (e.g. ["🔴", "🔵", "🟢"]). Empty uses defaults. |
colorTerminals |
true |
Auto-switch terminal when changing panes |
eagerTerminals |
true |
Create a terminal for every folder on startup |
terminalLayout |
"tabs" |
Terminal arrangement: "tabs" or "split" |
excludePatterns |
[] |
Glob patterns to skip auto-routing (e.g. ["**/.vscode/**"]) |
sortOnStartup |
true |
Sort tabs into correct panes on startup |
enableStickyTabs |
true |
Remember manually moved tabs |
showWelcome |
true |
Show welcome notification on first activation |
All settings are prefixed with multiRootPaneManager. in settings.json.
Installation
Search for Multi-Root Pane Manager in the VS Code Extensions marketplace, or install from Open VSX.
From Source
git clone https://github.com/ShaneMain/vscode-multi-root-pane-manager.git
cd vscode-multi-root-pane-manager
npm install && npm run compile
npx vsce package
code --install-extension multi-root-pane-manager-*.vsix
Requirements
- VS Code 1.75.0+
- A multi-root workspace (2+ folders)
Diagnostics
Open the Output panel and select Pane Manager to see logs for tab events, moves, layout changes, and navigation.
License
MIT
