Focus Space for VS Code

A VS Code extension that adds a dedicated "Focus Space" panel to enhance your development workflow by curating the files and folders you're actively working on.

🎯 Goals & Purpose

Focus Space solves the common problem of context switching overhead in large codebases. Instead of constantly scrolling through the Explorer or losing track of important files, Focus Space provides:

• Curated File Management: Keep only the files you're actively working on in a dedicated panel
• Enhanced GitHub Copilot Integration: Send focused context directly to Copilot Chat for better AI assistance
• Reduced Cognitive Load: Eliminate distractions and maintain focus on your current task
• Improved Collaboration: Share your focus context with team members

✨ What Focus Space Does

📁 Smart File Curation

• Add files and folders to your Focus Space via context menus, drag & drop, or commands
• Auto-hide when empty - the panel only appears when you have focused items
• Active file reveal - automatically highlights your current file in Focus Space instead of Explorer

🗂️ Intelligent Organization

• Virtual Sections: Create logical groupings like "Current Feature", "Bug Fixes", or "Dependencies"
• Drag & Drop Reordering: Organize your focus items exactly how you need them
• Folder Auto-Conversion: Folders automatically become sections when you add children

🤖 GitHub Copilot Integration

• Send to Copilot Chat: Right-click any file or section to send content directly to Copilot
• Batch Operations: Send entire sections with multiple files for comprehensive context
• Smart Content Formatting: Automatically formats code with syntax highlighting and file information

⚙️ Comprehensive Configuration

• 20+ Settings across Appearance, Behavior, Performance, and Workflow categories
• Exclude Patterns: Filter out unwanted files with glob pattern support
• Customizable Behavior: Configure reveal behavior, drag & drop preferences, and more
• Migration System: Seamless updates with backward compatibility

🔄 File System Integration

• Auto-sync: Automatically updates when files are moved, renamed, or deleted
• Cross-workspace: Maintain separate focus contexts for different projects
• Persistent State: Your focus items are saved and restored between sessions

🚀 Features Overview

📦 Installation

From VS Code Marketplace (Coming Soon)

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "Focus Space"
4. Click Install

Manual Installation

1. Download the latest .vsix file from Releases
2. In VS Code: Ctrl+Shift+P → "Extensions: Install from VSIX"
3. Select the downloaded file

🛠️ How to Use

Basic Workflow

1. Add Items: Right-click files/folders in Explorer → "Add to Focus Space"
2. Organize: Drag & drop to reorder, create sections for logical grouping
3. Work Focused: Use the Focus Space panel as your primary navigation
4. Copilot Integration: Right-click items → "Send to Copilot Chat" for AI assistance

Advanced Features

• Sections: Right-click in Focus Space → "Create Section" for logical grouping
• Batch Operations: Select multiple items and send entire contexts to Copilot
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Use commands from Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
• Configuration: File → Preferences → Settings → "Focus Space" for customization

⚙️ Configuration

Focus Space offers extensive customization through VS Code settings:

Appearance

• focusSpace.hideWhenEmpty - Auto-hide panel when empty (default: true)
• focusSpace.showItemCount - Display item count in panel (default: true)
• focusSpace.showFileIcons - Show file type icons (default: true)
• focusSpace.sortOrder - Item sorting: manual, name, type, date (default: manual)

Behavior

• focusSpace.revealBehavior - How active files are revealed (default: smart)
• focusSpace.allowDragAndDrop - Enable drag & drop reordering (default: true)
• focusSpace.excludePatterns - Glob patterns for filtering files
• focusSpace.autoRemoveDeleted - Remove deleted files automatically (default: true)

Performance

• focusSpace.enableFileWatcher - Monitor file system changes (default: true)
• focusSpace.maxFileSize - Maximum file size for Copilot integration (default: 10MB)
• focusSpace.watcherDebounceMs - File system event debouncing (default: 100ms)

See all 20+ settings in VS Code Settings → "Focus Space"

🏗️ Development Status

Focus Space is built using a systematic incremental development approach:

• ✅ Increments 1-15 Completed: Core functionality, configuration system, Copilot integration
• 🚧 Increment 16: Polish & Performance optimization (current)
• 📋 Future: Enhanced UI, keyboard shortcuts, advanced features

Current Capabilities

• Full Focus Space functionality with file/folder management
• Complete GitHub Copilot Chat integration
• Comprehensive configuration system (20+ settings)
• File system watching and auto-sync
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Production-ready codebase with 250+ tests

🧪 Testing

The extension includes comprehensive testing:

# Run all tests
npm test

# Compile TypeScript
npm run compile

# Package extension
vsce package

• 250+ Unit Tests covering all functionality
• Edge Case Testing for robust error handling
• Performance Testing for large codebases
• Integration Testing with VS Code APIs

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guidelines for details.

Development Setup

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/ormasoftchile/focus-space.git
2. Install dependencies: npm install
3. Open in VS Code: code .
4. Press F5 to launch Extension Development Host

Release Process

This extension uses automated CI/CD with GitHub Actions:

Quick Release:

npm run release:patch    # Bug fixes (1.0.0 → 1.0.1)
npm run release:minor    # New features (1.0.0 → 1.1.0) 
npm run release:major    # Breaking changes (1.0.0 → 2.0.0)

Manual Steps:

1. Ensure all changes are committed and pushed
2. Run npm run validate to check everything works
3. Run the appropriate release command above
4. Monitor the GitHub Actions for deployment

For detailed CI/CD setup instructions, see CI-CD-SETUP.md.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with ❤️ using TypeScript and the VS Code Extension API
• Developed in collaboration with GitHub Copilot
• Inspired by the need for better focus and context management in modern development

Focus Space - Because context is everything in software development 🎯