Folder Projects
Folder Projects turns your directory structure into a project list — configure a few root directories and every subdirectory instantly becomes a project you can jump to.
No manual project registration. No stale lists. Just point it at where you keep your code and switch between projects in seconds.
Features
1. Switch projects instantly
Run Folder Projects: List Projects to Open from the command palette to get a fuzzy-searchable list of every project across all your root directories.
- Each item shows the project name, the root it belongs to, and its full path.
- Select one and VS Code opens that folder immediately.
2. Browse projects from the Activity Bar
A dedicated Folder Projects icon is added to the Activity Bar. Click it to see all your projects organized by root directory.
- Root directories are listed as collapsible sections.
- Click any project to open it in VS Code.
- Use the refresh button in the view header to re-scan your roots after adding new folders.
3. Zero registration required
There's no list to maintain. Add a new folder inside one of your roots and it shows up automatically the next time you open the picker or refresh the view.
4. Ignore what you don't need
Use the folderprojects.ignore setting to filter out folders you never want to see as projects — hidden directories, build artifacts, archived work, and so on.
Commands
| Command |
Description |
Folder Projects: List Projects to Open |
Open a quick pick to fuzzy-find and switch to any project. |
Folder Projects: Refresh |
Re-scan all root directories and update the tree view. |
Folder Projects: Open Settings |
Jump straight to the Folder Projects configuration. |
Extension Settings
| Setting |
Description |
folderprojects.roots |
List of root directories to scan. All immediate subdirectories become projects. Supports ~ and environment variables. Example: ["~/Projects", "~/Work"]. |
folderprojects.ignore |
Glob patterns for folders to exclude. Patterns without / match against the folder name; patterns with / match against the full path. Example: [".*", "node_modules", "*/archived"]. |
If folderprojects.roots is empty, Folder Projects will prompt you to configure it on activation.
Getting started
- Install Folder Projects from the Marketplace.
- Open VS Code settings and add your root directories to
folderprojects.roots — for example ["~/Projects"].
- Run
Folder Projects: List Projects to Open from the command palette — or click the Folder Projects icon in the Activity Bar.
- Select a project and you're there.
Free to use — supported by you
Folder Projects is free. It's MIT-licensed and fully functional out of the box, with no feature gating.
After a 14-day grace period, a polite popup appears about once a month asking you to support continued development with a one-time license purchase:
- One-time payment, lifetime use, unlimited devices
- One license stops the popup permanently
- Your license helps fund bug fixes, VS Code API updates, and new features
The cadence is intentional: this model relies on long-term value building, not short-term annoyance. If the extension is genuinely useful to you, you'll feel like supporting it. If it isn't, you've lost nothing — keep using it for free.
If you find Folder Projects useful in your daily work, please consider buying a license — it's the only way the project stays maintained.
Check out my other extensions
Folder Projects is one of a few VS Code extensions I build and maintain. You can find the full list — along with the projects and articles I'm working on — at lucasprag.com.
Support
Found a bug, have a feature idea, or just want to say hi? Reach out at:
lucasprag.projects [at] gmail [dot] com
(replace [at] with @ and [dot] with .)
License
MIT.
