Quicklist

A minimal file and folder shortcut list for Visual Studio Code.

Quicklist adds a lightweight view to the Explorer sidebar, letting you keep frequently accessed files and folders in one place. No groups, no configuration, no extra sidebar icon.

Features

• One-click add - Add the active file using the + button.
• File and folder shortcuts - Add files or folders from the Explorer context menu.
• Quick navigation - Click a file to open it, or a folder to reveal it in the native Explorer.
• Easy removal - Remove shortcuts without affecting the original files.
• Workspace-specific - Each workspace maintains its own list, preserved across restarts.
• Minimal UI - A flat list integrated into the Explorer sidebar.

Usage

Add a file: Open it and click + in the Quicklist view title. Alternatively, right-click it in Explorer and select Add to Quicklist.

Add a folder: Right-click it in Explorer and select Add to Quicklist. Multiple files and folders can be selected together.

Navigate: Click a file to open it in the editor. Click a folder to reveal it in the native Explorer; folders do not expand inside Quicklist.

Remove an item: Hover over it and click x. This only removes the shortcut, never the actual file or folder.

Installation

Requires VS Code 1.85 or later. Published versions are available from the VS Code Marketplace and as VSIX assets on GitHub Releases.

Download the quicklist-vsix artifact from a successful CI run, extract it, and run Extensions: Install from VSIX... in VS Code. Alternatively, build a package locally as described below.

How it works

• Items appear in the order they were added. Duplicate resource URIs are ignored.
• Only saved files and folders inside the current workspace can be added.
• All folders in a multi-root workspace share one list.
• Lists use VS Code's internal workspace storage, not project files. They are not shared through Git or synchronized between machines by this extension.
• Missing or unavailable entries stay visible and can be removed. Renamed or moved paths are not automatically updated.
• The view refreshes on VS Code file operations, when it becomes visible, and when the window regains focus. Use Quicklist: Refresh after other external file-system changes.
• Full resource URIs are preserved, including remote schemes and authorities.
• No accounts, external services, telemetry, or runtime npm dependencies.

Development

Use Node.js 22 or later. There is no compile step and unit tests require no dependency installation.

npm run check

Open this repository in VS Code and press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host.

To run tests inside real VS Code processes:

npm run test:setup
npm run test:integration

On headless Linux, use xvfb-run -a npm run test:integration. The runner downloads VS Code and tests persistence across process restarts and isolation between workspaces. Set VSCODE_VERSION to test a specific version; the default is stable. Tool installation and VS Code downloads require network access.

Build a VSIX with the official packaging tool:

npm run package

For an offline local package, Python 3.9 or later can be used instead:

npm run package:offline

The offline package is written to dist/. CI uses the official packager. See manual checks for mouse interaction and remote-workspace checks.

Publishing

The Release workflow follows the same tag-based publishing process as vscode-nvim-marks. Push a version tag or run it manually to test on Windows, macOS, and Linux, package a VSIX, publish it to the Marketplace, and attach it to a GitHub release. See release setup and instructions for the required VSCE_PAT secret, version tags, pre-releases, and retries.

Acknowledgments

Quicklist is based on CØdeZØne Favorites by Leandro Silva, licensed under the MIT License. The original copyright and permission terms are retained.

License

MIT