TreeScribe - Project Tree Generator
Summary
TreeScribe generates a clean project tree from any folder and exports it as
Markdown, JSON, or HTML. It is designed for documentation, architecture
overviews, and repository audits with layered ignore rules, safe traversal,
optional icon rendering, and rich scan metadata.
Example Output
With Icons
Without Icons
Usage
- Open Command Palette.
- Run
Generate Project Tree.
- Choose icon mode for this run.
- Choose export format(s) for this run.
- Open generated output file(s).
Alternative usage:
- In Explorer, right-click any folder.
- Run
Generate Project Tree From Here.
Features
- Layered ignore support from defaults,
.gitignore, .projecttreeignore, and
settings.
- Safe traversal with directory-first sorting and symlink safeguards.
- Per-run prompts for icon mode and export formats.
- Multi-format export: Markdown, JSON, HTML.
- README marker injection support.
- Rich metadata for scan diagnostics and project composition.
Commands
projectTree.generate - Generate Project TreeprojectTree.generateFromHere - Generate Project Tree From Here
Shortcuts
- Windows/Linux:
Ctrl+Shift+T
- macOS:
Cmd+Shift+T
Example Use Case
You are opening a pull request for a large repository and need a structure
snapshot:
- Run TreeScribe at repository root.
- Select Markdown and JSON export.
- Inject the tree into README markers.
- Use metadata to explain ignored/skipped counts and scan behavior in the PR
description.
Extension Settings
| Key |
Default |
Description |
projectTree.additionalIgnore |
[] |
Additional ignore patterns. |
projectTree.maxDepth |
6 |
Maximum traversal depth. |
projectTree.showFileSize |
true |
Show file sizes in tree output. |
projectTree.followSymlinks |
false |
Follow symbolic links during traversal. |
projectTree.binaryHandling |
mark |
off, mark, or skip for binary files. |
projectTree.asciiOnly |
false |
Render text-only tree without icons. |
projectTree.iconSource |
bundled |
Icon source: bundled, local, or remote. |
projectTree.iconAssetsDirectory |
.project-tree-icons |
Local icon directory when using local icon source. |
projectTree.outputFileName |
project_tree.md |
Markdown output path (within selected root). |
projectTree.outputJsonFileName |
project_tree.json |
JSON output path (within selected root). |
projectTree.outputHtmlFileName |
project_tree.html |
HTML output path (within selected root). |
projectTree.exportFormats |
['markdown'] |
Default export formats. |
projectTree.injectIntoReadme |
true |
Inject generated tree into README markers if found. |
Icon Rendering
bundled (recommended): uses vendored icon assets shipped with the extension.local: downloads missing icons into the configured local icon directory.remote: uses CDN icon URLs.- Choosing "Without Icons" during prompt forces text-only output for that run.
Each run includes:
- Scan duration (milliseconds)
- Ignored count
- Skipped count with reason breakdown (
binary, symlink, circular,
permission, fs)
- Total scanned file size
- Top file types by extension
- Effective settings snapshot for the run
README Injection
When projectTree.injectIntoReadme is enabled and markers are present in root
README.md, TreeScribe replaces the content between the markers:
<!-- PROJECT-TREE:START -->
<!-- PROJECT-TREE:END -->
Vendoring Icon Pack
Download and cache the icon set into assets/icons:
npm run icons:vendor
This is also executed by vscode:prepublish.
How To Run This Project
npm install
npm run icons:vendor
npm run compile
Run in VS Code:
- Press
F5 to launch Extension Development Host.
- Open Command Palette and run
Generate Project Tree.
Package VSIX:
vsce package
Troubleshooting
- If
Generate Project Tree fails in terminal, remember it is a VS Code command
(not a shell command).
- If icons do not appear, verify icon mode choice and
projectTree.iconSource.
- If output files are missing, verify output settings point to paths inside
selected root.
- If README is not updated, ensure both markers exist exactly once in root
README.md.
Feedback/Support
We value your feedback! If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for
improvement, please feel free to raise an issue on GitHub.
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License.
