A focused sidebar for documentation folders. It shows only directories and Markdown files, and opens every .md file in the Markdown preview. Press Ctrl+Shift+V to switch that file to the editor and back.
Use it when a workspace is mostly notes, specs, or linked docs and the normal Explorer is too noisy.
Features
Markdown-only tree — lists folders and .md files from the opened workspace
Preview first — a click in the tree opens the rendered Markdown viewer
Link history — after you follow a link to another .md file, Back and Forward return you to the previous document
Clean tree — folders with no Markdown descendants are hidden; .git, node_modules, out, dist, .vscode, and .cursor are skipped
Active file — the document you are viewing or editing is selected in the tree and follows as you switch files
Preview / edit — Ctrl+Shift+V toggles the current file between rendered preview and the Markdown editor
Getting started
Open a folder that contains Markdown files.
Click the Markdown icon in the activity bar.
Expand folders and click a .md file to read it in preview.
Follow links between documents, then use Back / Forward in the view title (or Alt+Left / Alt+Right) to move through the files you opened.
Press Ctrl+Shift+V (Mac: Cmd+Shift+V) to switch the current file between preview and the editable source.
The file you are viewing or editing is selected in the tree and updates as you change documents.
The workspace must be trusted so Markdown links can stay in preview and be recorded in history.
Commands
Command
What it does
Back
Previous Markdown file in this session
Forward
Next Markdown file in this session
Toggle Preview/Editor
Switch the current file between preview and source (Ctrl+Shift+V)
Requirements
Visual Studio Code or Cursor 1.85 or later.
For developers
npm install
Press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host, then open a folder with .md files.
