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. Note: in split mode, if a terminal is closed and recreated it may reopen as a separate tab due to a VS Code API limitation.
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)
Uninstalling
After uninstalling, remove these from your .code-workspace or .vscode/settings.json:
"workbench.editor.customLabels.patterns"
"workbench.editor.closeEmptyGroups"
VS Code does not reliably run extension cleanup on uninstall, so these settings may persist.
Diagnostics
Open the Output panel and select Pane Manager to see logs for tab events, moves, layout changes, and navigation.
License
MIT
