New Window Here
Open a file or folder in a new VS Code window without leaving the one you are working in.
Features
- Explorer context menu — right-click a file or folder and choose Open in New Window.
- Folders become workspaces — the folder you picked is the workspace root of the new window.
- Files open with their context — the file opens in the editor and its containing folder becomes the workspace root, so the workspace, search and terminal in the new window point at the right place.
- Same host — the new window stays where the action was invoked: local stays local, WSL stays on the same distribution, Remote-SSH stays on the same host.
- Stays out of the way — the entry is hidden for multi-selection and for virtual file systems it cannot open.
Usage
- Right-click a file or folder in the Explorer.
- Choose Open in New Window.
The command needs a target, so it is deliberately absent from the Command Palette. If the target cannot be read, the extension reports the failure in an error notification and no window opens.
Requirements
- VS Code 1.104 or newer.
- Nothing else to install. It works in local windows and in existing remote windows (WSL, Remote-SSH).
Known limitations
- No host switching. The new window stays on the host you invoked it from: there is no local to WSL, WSL to SSH or SSH to container conversion. Open a window on the other host first, then use the extension there.
- No state hand-off. The new window opens the target only; unsaved editors, breakpoints and terminals are not carried over.
.code-workspace files open as files. Their containing folder becomes the workspace root and the workspace file is not applied.- Explorer only. There is no Command Palette entry, because the command needs a resource to open.
License
MIT — see LICENSE.
Development
Requires Node.js 20 or newer.
npm install
npm run compile # type-check, lint, bundle to dist/
npm run watch # esbuild + tsc watch, used by F5
npm test # integration tests in a downloaded VS Code host
npm run package # production bundle (minified, no source maps)
npx @vscode/vsce package # -> new-window-here-<version>.vsix
Press F5 to launch the Extension Development Host.
src/extension.ts activation entry point, wiring only
src/commands/ one handler per contributed command
src/core/ path helpers and open planning, unit-tested
src/test/ integration tests (mocha, run by @vscode/test-cli)
Behaviour is specified under openspec/; a behaviour change goes through a change proposal there before it is implemented.
