Easy VPS
Browse and manage VPS files directly in the VS Code Explorer over SSH/SFTP—without working through a terminal.
Why Easy VPS?
Easy VPS gives remote servers the same familiar file-management experience as a local workspace. Open and edit files, create folders, rename or move items, and delete remote content directly from Explorer.
Features
- Two-step setup: enter
user@host, then your password.
- Dedicated Easy VPS sidebar with saved servers.
- Password and SSH private-key authentication.
- Read, edit, create, rename, copy, move, and delete remote files and folders.
- One-click shortcuts for
/, /root, /home, /var/www, /etc, /opt, /srv, and /tmp.
- Parent-folder (
..) navigation for remote paths.
- One Explorer entry per VPS, even when changing remote paths.
- Import profiles from
~/.ssh/config.
- Test, edit, reconnect, refresh, remove, or forget connections.
- Automatic reconnection after restarting or reloading the editor.
- Passwords stored with VS Code Secret Storage—not in settings or profile files.
Installation
Open Extensions in VS Code, search for Easy VPS, and select Install.
The extension identifier is moncefazzouz.easy-vps.
Quick start
- Click the Easy VPS server icon in the Activity Bar.
- Click Add VPS.
- Enter an SSH address such as
root@203.0.113.10.
- Enter the SSH password.
- Expand the server and choose
/ or another shortcut.
The VPS appears in Explorer. Expand it and work with the files like a normal workspace folder.
Port 22 and remote path / are automatic in the quick flow. For a custom port, remote directory, or private key, run Easy VPS: Add VPS (Advanced) from the Command Palette.
Expand a saved server to access common paths. Selecting a path reveals it inside the existing VPS entry in Explorer—it does not create duplicate workspace folders.
Right-click a saved server to:
- Open it in Explorer
- Test the connection
- Edit its name or default remote path
- Forget the saved connection
Right-click a VPS entry in Explorer and choose Remove VPS from Explorer to hide it without deleting its saved connection.
SSH config import
Run Easy VPS: Import from SSH Config to import compatible hosts from ~/.ssh/config. Host name, user, port, and identity-file values are recognized.
Security
- Passwords are stored using VS Code's encrypted Secret Storage.
- Connection metadata—host, user, port, path, and private-key location—is stored in extension global state.
- SSH keys are recommended for production servers.
- Easy VPS does not currently confirm new server host-key fingerprints. Only connect to servers you trust and verify sensitive servers through another trusted SSH client first.
Commands
- Easy VPS: Add VPS
- Easy VPS: Add VPS (Advanced)
- Easy VPS: Connect to VPS
- Easy VPS: Import from SSH Config
- Easy VPS: Test Connection
- Easy VPS: Edit Connection
- Easy VPS: Disconnect VPS
- Easy VPS: Remove VPS from Explorer
- Easy VPS: Forget Saved Connection
Current limitations
- SFTP has no standard live file-watching protocol. Refresh Explorer to see changes made outside the editor.
- Copying or moving files between different VPS connections is not supported yet.
- Symlinked directories may have limited Explorer behavior.
- Easy VPS provides file access only; terminals, remote debugging, and remote language servers are outside its scope.
Issues and source code
Report problems or contribute at github.com/MoncefAzzouz/easy-access-vps.
