Save, switch, and recover complete VS Code tab layouts. Git‑aware, renameable, and fast.
Create named groups and snapshots, assign quick slots for instant recall, and optionally auto‑switch groups when you change branches.
Highlights
Save named tab groups and reopen entire working sets with a click.
Capture snapshots of every open tab and restore them later.
Add-ons (apply without replacing) — save reusable tab sets you can apply on top of your current layout without closing anything.
Assign quick slots (1–9) for instant recall via UI, palette, or keys.
Git‑aware workflows — auto‑create or auto‑switch groups on branch change (configurable).
Smart ordering — groups are sorted by most recently used.
Multi‑root friendly — choose which workspace folder to track.
Drag and drop — reorder tabs between columns with intuitive drag and drop.
Import/Export — backup and share your tab collections across workspaces.
Filter tabs — quickly find and organize tabs with built-in filtering.
Installation
From the Marketplace
Search for “Tab Stack” by ayecue in the Extensions Marketplace (or follow the link once it is published) and click Install.
Getting started
Open the Tab Stack view from the activity bar.
Click Save Group to capture your current layout.
In Groups:
Click the edit icon to rename the group (names are fully editable).
Assign a quick slot (1–9) from the dropdown for instant recall.
Drag and drop to reorder tabs between columns.
In Snapshots:
Click the camera to capture a snapshot.
(Optional) Git Integration:
Open the Settings panel and enable Git Integration. Choose auto‑switch, auto‑create, or full‑auto. Optionally set a prefix like git:.
Use shortcuts:
Quick Switch: Cmd/Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 0
Quick Slots: Cmd/Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 1…9
Add-ons (optional):
Switch to the Add-ons tab, click + to save the current tabs as an add-on.
Click the edit icon to rename add-ons (just like groups).
Click an add-on to apply it — it adds tabs on top of your current layout without closing existing ones.
Import/Export:
Use the toolbar buttons to export your collections as a backup or to share with others.
Import previously exported collections to restore or transfer them to another workspace.
Commands & shortcuts
Command ID
Description
Default keybinding*
tabStack.refresh
Sync the view with the current VS Code tab state.
—
tabStack.quickSwitch
Toggle between the two most recent tab states.
Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Shift + 0
tabStack.clearSelection
Return to the live layout without a saved group applied.
—
tabStack.switchGroup
Choose and apply any saved group.
—
tabStack.createGroup
Save the current set of open tabs as a reusable group.
—
tabStack.assignQuickSlot
Assign the current group to a quick slot (also available in the UI).
—
tabStack.deleteGroup
Remove a saved group.
—
tabStack.snapshot
Capture a snapshot of every open tab (saved to history).
—
tabStack.restoreSnapshot
Restore one of the saved snapshots.
—
tabStack.deleteSnapshot
Delete a snapshot from history.
—
tabStack.createAddon
Save the current tabs as an add-on (applies without replacing).
—
tabStack.applyAddon
Apply an add-on on top of your current layout.
—
tabStack.deleteAddon
Delete a saved add-on.
—
tabStack.quickSlot1 – tabStack.quickSlot9
Apply the group assigned to quick slots 1–9.
Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Shift + 1 … 9
*On macOS the shortcuts use Cmd instead of Ctrl.
Tips
Rename groups and add-ons anytime — rename from the Groups or Add-ons list; saved tabs and quick slots stay intact.
Drag and drop — reorder tabs between columns by dragging them in any group view.
Filter tabs — use the filter input to quickly find specific tabs in large collections.
Collapsible panels — collapse collection panels (Groups, Snapshots, Add-ons) to save space and focus on what matters.
Collection tooltips — hover over any collection item to see tab and column counts at a glance.
Import/Export — backup your collections regularly or share them with teammates for consistent setups.
Git Integration modes — choose auto‑switch, auto‑create, or full‑auto to match your workflow.
Custom prefixes — keep Git‑created groups tidy with a prefix like git: (e.g., git:main).
MRU sorting — your most recently used groups surface to the top automatically.
Snapshots — labels with timestamps make restores obvious.
Quick slots from the UI — assign 1–9 directly from the Groups list.
Quick Switch — jump between two active contexts with a single shortcut.
Layout accuracy — column sizing and splits are tracked and refreshed automatically.
Multi‑root — pick which workspace folder to track in Settings.
Add-ons are additive — they never replace or close your current tabs; perfect for reusable toolsets or pin sets.
Limitations — some tab types (like certain webviews or terminals) can't be automatically reopened by VS Code. Tab Stack marks these as not recoverable so you can quickly spot them.
Configuration
Tab Stack can be configured through the Settings panel in the webview or via VS Code settings:
Git Integration Settings
tabStack.gitIntegration.enabled (boolean): Enable automatic group management based on Git branch changes.
Default: false
tabStack.gitIntegration.mode (string): How Tab Stack manages groups based on Git branches.
Values: auto-switch, auto-create, full-auto
Default: full-auto
Behavior:
auto-switch: Automatically switch to an existing group when the branch changes
auto-create: Automatically create a group for new branches and switch to it
full-auto: Create groups for new branches and auto-switch between them
tabStack.gitIntegration.groupPrefix (string): Prefix for automatically created Git-based groups.
Default: "git:"
Example: git:main, git:feature/login
Workspace Settings
tabStack.masterWorkspaceFolder (string | null): Path to the workspace folder used for storing tab state and tracking Git branches.
If not set, the first workspace folder will be used.
You can also configure this from the Settings panel in the Tab Stack view.
Contributing & feedback
Bug reports and feature suggestions are welcome! Open an issue on GitHub.
Enjoy a tidy editor! Tab Stack keeps your context safe so you can focus on building.
