A simple scratchpad that lives in the VS Code Activity Bar.
Built by Vanoxtech and released under the MIT License.
How it works
Opens a Notes view in the Activity Bar.
Supports multiple notes (collapsible).
Anything you type is saved automatically to:
.vscode/sidebar-notes.json in the current workspace, or
The extension's global storage when no workspace folder is open
If you previously used a single-note file at .vscode/sidebar-notes.md, it will be migrated automatically.
Usage
Click the Sidepad Notes icon in the Activity Bar.
Create notes and type — everything auto-saves.
Notes persist whether or not a workspace folder is open.
Automatic updates
Installed from the Marketplace: VS Code can update the extension automatically (if extensions.autoUpdate is enabled).
Installed from a .vsix manually: VS Code does not auto-update it. To update, install a newer .vsix.
There’s also a command in the Command Palette:
Sidepad Notes: Check for Updates — opens the Extensions view (and Marketplace page) for the extension.
Development
Press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host.
Open a folder in the dev host and use the Notes view.
What’s included
Multiple notes with titles
Collapse/expand notes (state is remembered when you switch away and back)
Auto-save to your workspace
Update helper command: “Sidepad Notes: Check for Updates”
Storage & privacy
Notes are stored locally — in .vscode/sidebar-notes.json when a workspace is open, or in the extension's global storage folder otherwise.
This extension does not send your notes anywhere (no network sync).
Release notes
0.0.5
Fixed: Notes now persist when VS Code is opened without a workspace folder — falls back to global extension storage.
Fixed: Notes typed quickly before switching sidebar panels or closing VS Code are no longer lost — the webview is kept alive when hidden (retainContextWhenHidden) and a flush save fires whenever the panel becomes hidden.
Fixed: Added a best-effort save on page unload (pagehide) to reduce data loss when VS Code shuts down with a pending autosave.
0.0.4
Initial release with multiple collapsible notes, autosave, and legacy .md file migration.
License & attribution
This project is licensed under the MIT License (see LICENSE).
MIT already allows reuse and rework without asking permission, as long as you keep the copyright + license notice.
That notice is what ensures redistributed copies still mention Vanoxtech.
