Enhance Explorer

Folder-first sidebar navigation: a Folders tree view and a Files webview (table or grid: name, modified time, size, optional Git and Problems), with a codicon-style toolbar, without replacing the built-in Explorer.

GitHub · Screenshots · Features · Getting started · Settings · Development

Screenshots

Folders View

Enhance Explorer: Folders and Files (Details layout)

_{Details layout: Folders tree + Files table (name, modified, size). Optional images/overview.png can be added later for a wider marketing shot.}

Files Views

_{Icons: name, size, Git/Problems per toggles.}

_{List: compact row (name + indicators depending on options).}

_{Details: name, modified, size; Git/Problems columns per toggles, column widths.}

Features

Feature	Comment
Tree	Workspace roots and multi-root workspaces; collapsible folders; optional files under folder nodes (Explorer-style), toggled from the view title and commands.
Files	List, Details, or Icons; sortable columns/rows; toolbar + path bar toggles (layout, subfolders in the list, Git, Problems, and other display options). With subfolders listed, double-click a folder row to drill into it.
Look and feel	Modified column formats from Settings (`locale`, `localeDate`, `localeTime`, `iso`, `relative`, `custom` pattern). Optional row/column guides, hide path in the hint line, and recursive folder size for folder rows (heavier disk I/O). In Details, draggable column widths; in List, adjustable name vs. status width—both persist per workspace.
Git	Badges / states when the built-in Git extension reports SCM data (can be turned off from the webview).
Problems	Counts or indicators from workspace diagnostics (can be turned off from the webview).
Sync	Selecting a folder in Folders drives Files. Optional follow active editor (reveal in the tree + keep Files in step) and highlight rows for files that still have editor tabs—workspace toggles.
Actions	Codicon toolbar in Files. Context menus on Folders and on Files rows: open (and open to side), reveal in Explorer / OS, integrated terminal, cut/copy/paste, compare, rename, delete, and other Explorer-aligned commands where available.

Getting started

Open a folder or multi-root workspace.
Click the Enhance Explorer icon in the activity bar (folder glyph).
In Folders, select a folder: Files lists its immediate children (and optional flat subfolder rows when enabled).
Open a file from the table; with subfolders listed, double-click a folder row to drill in.

Command Palette: run Enhance Explorer: Show (enhance-explorer.focus) to reveal the container and focus Folders.

Settings

Declared in Settings UI (`enhance-explorer.*`)

These keys are defined in package.json:

Key	Role
`enhance-explorer.files.dateTimeFormat`	Modified column format: `locale`, `localeDate`, `localeTime`, `iso`, `relative`, `custom`.
`enhance-explorer.files.dateTimeCustomPattern`	Pattern when format is `custom` (see the in-product setting description).

Stored in workspace state (no dedicated settings row for these toggles)

The following toggles live in workspace state (and may be migrated once from legacy fileViews.* keys in settings.json if still present):

Topic	Legacy `fileViews` key (migration)	Behavior
Git column / status	`fileViews.files.showGitStatus`	On by default unless explicitly turned off.
Problems in Files	—	On by default; toggle from the webview.
Subfolders as rows in Files	`fileViews.files.showFoldersInList`	Off until enabled.
Files under folder nodes	`fileViews.folders.showFilesInTree`	Off by default; also Folders title-bar commands.
Row separator lines	—	Default: off.
Recursive folder size	—	Default: off (heavier disk scan).
Files layout (List / Details / Icons)	`fileViews.files.viewLayout`	Migrated once into workspace state; `enhance-explorer.files.viewLayout` is read first when memento is empty.

Details column widths are draggable and persist per workspace.

Commands (click to expand)

ID	Title
`enhance-explorer.focus`	Enhance Explorer: Show
`enhance-explorer.showFoldersInList`	Show subfolders in Files list
`enhance-explorer.hideFoldersInList`	Hide subfolders in Files list
`enhance-explorer.viewLayout.list`	List
`enhance-explorer.viewLayout.detail`	Details
`enhance-explorer.viewLayout.icons`	Icons
`enhance-explorer.folders.showFilesInTree`	Show files in Folders tree
`enhance-explorer.folders.hideFilesInTree`	Hide files in Folders tree (folders only)

Folders context menu: New File / Folder, Refresh, Reveal in Explorer / OS, Open in Integrated Terminal, Copy Path / Relative Path, Rename, Delete.

Requirements

VS Code ^1.85.0 (see package.json → engines).
A workspace folder (empty window shows a hint in Folders).
Git column: built-in Git extension enabled and a repository detected.

Development

npm install
npm run lint       # ESLint (TypeScript, type-aware rules)
npm run lint:fix   # same + auto-fix where applicable
npm run compile    # one-off build
npm run watch      # TypeScript watch
npm run package    # vsce package (runs prepublish compile)

CI: on every push and pull request, .github/workflows/ci.yml runs npm ci, npm run lint, and npm run compile.

Publish (Visual Studio Marketplace): pushes to main or master trigger .github/workflows/Publish.yml (semver tag + vsce publish). Configure repository secrets VSCE_TOKEN and PAT_TOKEN as described in that workflow file.

License

Add a LICENSE file and a one-line note here before public publishing (e.g. MIT).

Marketplace

Extension ID: Vincent1024.enhance-explorer.

Enhance Explorer

Vincent1024

Enhance Explorer

Screenshots

Folders View

Files Views

Features

Getting started

Settings

Declared in Settings UI (enhance-explorer.*)

Stored in workspace state (no dedicated settings row for these toggles)

Requirements

Development

License

Marketplace

Declared in Settings UI (`enhance-explorer.*`)