Package Inspector
A VS Code extension that previews binary package files — APK, AAB, IPA, EXE, and many more — right inside the editor, with rich metadata and quick Finder/Explorer actions. No need to unzip or run external tools just to see what a package contains.
Features
- Custom read-only viewer for binary package files, opened straight from the explorer or editor.
- File metadata at a glance: type label, size, created/modified dates, absolute path, and SHA-256 checksum.
- Deep inspection of common package formats:
- Windows
.exe — parses the PE header to show architecture (x86 / x64 / ARM / ARM64), PE magic (PE32 / PE32+), and subsystem (GUI, console, EFI, etc.).
- Android
.apk — manifest presence, DEX count, native ABIs, and whether assets/ and res/ are present.
- Android
.aab — feature modules, DEX count, and native ABIs.
- iOS
.ipa — app name, Info.plist, embedded provisioning profile, and PkgInfo.
- Zip-based archives (
.vsix, .xpi, .jar, .war, .ear, .whl, .msix, .appx) — entry count and contents overview.
- Quick actions — reveal the file in Finder/Explorer, and copy its path, name, or SHA-256 hash to the clipboard.
- Configurable file associations — add or remove the extensions that open in the viewer without leaving the editor.
Supported file types
| Category |
Extensions |
| Mobile |
.apk, .aab, .ipa |
| Windows |
.exe, .msi, .msix, .appx |
| macOS |
.dmg, .pkg |
| Linux |
.deb, .rpm, .AppImage, .snap, .flatpak |
| Browser / Editor extensions |
.vsix, .crx, .xpi |
| Java |
.jar, .war, .ear |
| Other |
.bin, .whl, .tgz, .phar, .gem, .wasm |
Usage
- Click a supported file in the Explorer to open it in the Package Inspector viewer.
- Right-click a file and choose Open with Package Inspector.
- From the viewer toolbar, use Reveal in Finder or the copy buttons for path, name, and hash.
Commands
| Command |
Description |
Open with Package Inspector |
Open the selected file in the viewer |
Reveal in Finder |
Show the file in Finder/Explorer |
Add Current Extension to Package Inspector |
Register the current file's extension with the viewer |
Remove Current Extension from Package Inspector |
Unregister the current file's extension |
Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
packageInspector.extensions |
(full list above) |
File extensions that should open with Package Inspector |
packageInspector.calculateSha256 |
true |
Calculate and display the SHA-256 hash for previewed files |
packageInspector.maxHashFileSizeMb |
50 |
Maximum file size (MB) for automatic SHA-256 calculation |
packageInspector.defaultOpenMode |
preview |
Preferred behavior for supported binary package files |
Development
npm install # install dependencies
npm run compile # bundle the extension with esbuild
npm run watch # rebuild on change
Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host with the extension loaded.
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