File Grouper

A VS Code extension that lets you group files by task or logic flow, then resume any group with a single click — so you can switch context without losing the exact set of tabs you were working on.

Why

When you open a repo and work on a task, you often end up with many unrelated files open. Switching to a different task means re-finding the right files later. File Grouper lets you save the current set of files as a named group and bring it back when you return to that task.

Features

• Sidebar tree view — dedicated Activity Bar icon listing all groups and the files inside each
• Create groups — name a group and add files to it
• Snapshot open tabs — save every currently open editor tab as a new group in one action
• Resume group — closes all editors and reopens the group's files in their saved order
• Rename / delete groups
• Add files from multiple entry points:
  • Right-click a file in the Explorer → Add to File Grouper Group…
  • Right-click an editor tab → Add to File Grouper Group…
  • Command palette → File Grouper: Add Current File to Group…
• Remove and reorder files inside a group (inline up / down / × buttons)
• Per-workspace storage — each repo has its own groups; nothing leaks between projects

Getting started

Run from source

1. Open this folder in VS Code.
2. Run npm install (first time only).
3. Press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host with File Grouper loaded.
4. In the new window, open any project and click the folder-library icon in the Activity Bar.

Install as a .vsix

npx @vscode/vsce package
code --install-extension file-grouper-0.1.0.vsix

Usage

Create a group

• Click the + button in the File Grouper view title bar, or
• Run File Grouper: Create Group from the command palette and enter a name.

Snapshot your current tabs as a group

• Click the save icon in the File Grouper view title bar, or
• Run File Grouper: Snapshot Open Tabs as Group.

Every file currently open in an editor tab is added to the new group.

Add a file to a group

You can pick an existing group or create a new one inline.

Resume a group

There are three ways:

1. Sidebar: hover the group row → click the ▶ (play) icon.
2. Right-click the group → File Grouper: Resume Group.
3. Command palette: File Grouper: Resume Group → choose the group.

Resume closes all currently open editors and reopens the group's files in saved order.

Rename or delete a group

Right-click the group in the sidebar and pick Rename or Delete, or run the equivalent command from the palette.

Reorder or remove files inside a group

Hover a file row in the sidebar — three inline icons appear:

• ↑ move up
• ↓ move down
• × remove from group

The order is preserved and used when the group is resumed.

Commands

Storage

Groups are stored per-workspace using VS Code's workspaceState under the key fileGrouper.groups.v1. File paths are stored relative to the workspace root, so groups remain valid if the project is moved.

Limitations

• Resume opens files as text documents. Binary files (images, PDFs) may not open through this path. Open an issue if you'd like full vscode.open handling.
• Editor layout (split panes, view columns) is not restored — only the set and order of files.
• Multi-root workspaces use the first workspace folder as the root for relative paths.

Development

npm install        # install deps
npm run compile    # build TypeScript to out/
npm run watch      # rebuild on change

Press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host.

Project structure

src/
  extension.ts          # command registration + activation
  groupStore.ts         # persistence via workspaceState
  groupTreeProvider.ts  # sidebar TreeDataProvider

License

MIT