Compile Targets Explorer
A VS Code extension that displays only compilation target files in the Explorer tree view, based on compile_commands.json.
Features
- Display Compile Target Files: Shows files listed in
compile_commands.json with their folder hierarchy in the Explorer
- Automatic Header Collection: Recursively follows
#include directives and adds related headers to the tree
- Open Files Directly: Click a file in the tree to open it in the editor
- Auto Refresh: Automatically updates when
compile_commands.json changes
- Manual Refresh: Manually update via the refresh button in the view title bar
- Auto-detection of compile_commands.json: Automatically resolves the path from clangd settings, CMake settings, and CMakePresets
- Favorites: Pin frequently accessed files and folders for quick access
compile_commands.json Detection Order
The extension auto-detects compile_commands.json in the following priority order:
--compile-commands-dir in clangd.argumentsCompileFlags.CompilationDatabase in the .clangd filecmake.buildDirectory setting (with variable expansion support)binaryDir of the active preset in CMakePresets.json / CMakeUserPresets.json${workspaceFolder}/build${workspaceFolder} (workspace root)
Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
compileTargetsExplorer.excludePatterns |
[] |
Glob patterns for files to exclude from the tree (e.g., **/compiler/**) |
Favorites
Files and folders can be pinned to the Favorites section at the top of the tree for quick access.
- Add: Right-click a file or folder → Add to Favorites
- Remove: Right-click an item in the Favorites section → Remove from Favorites
- Open file: Click a favorite file to open it in the editor
- Jump to folder: Click a favorite folder to reveal it in the tree
Favorites are saved per workspace and persist across sessions.
Usage
- Generate
compile_commands.json in your project:
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON
- The "Compile Targets" view will appear in the Explorer sidebar
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