Bring the ergonomics of modern browser vertical tabs to VS Code without replacing the native horizontal tabs. Vertical Tabs But Better adds a view to the Explorer that shows only the files currently open in the editor, organized by directory to make navigation, context, and quick closing easier.
What the extension does
Keeps VS Code's horizontal tabs exactly as they are.
Adds a vertical alternative focused only on open tabs.
Shows files in their real project context, nested inside their folders.
Makes it easier to open, locate, and close files without relying on the horizontal tab strip.
Features
An always-available Explorer view called Vertical Tabs But Better.
Lists only the files that are actually open in the editor, using vscode.window.tabGroups to reflect the visible tabs.
Groups files by folder and workspace root, so each file appears in its proper directory.
Compacts single-folder chains in the same style as Explorer. Example: folder1/folder2/file can appear as folder1/folder2 > file when the chain has only one visible branch.
Uses Explorer-like icons and appearance through resourceUri.
Automatically expands the ancestor paths of open files, opening only the branches that matter.
View title bar buttons: Expand All and Collapse All.
Inline actions: an X icon appears next to files and folders. Closing a file closes its corresponding tab; closing a folder closes every open tab inside that folder and its subfolders.
Immediate updates: the view reflects the current set of open tabs, and closed tabs are removed from the view correctly.
How to use
Open the Explorer and select the Vertical Tabs But Better view.
Click any file to open it in the editor.
Use the inline X to close a file or close the entire group of files inside a folder.
Use the title bar buttons to expand or collapse the tree quickly.
Limitations and intent
The extension does not remove or replace VS Code's native horizontal tabs.
Its goal is to replicate the convenience of modern browser vertical tabs using an approach that fits naturally into the Explorer.
The view shows only the subset of files currently open in the editor, so the folder structure is a filtered slice of the project rather than the full workspace tree.
Local packaging
To generate the .vsix locally, run this from the project root:
