“Pin” Files & Folders in Explorer View within Primary Sidebar

Feature Requests
1

Feature Request: “Pin” Files & Folders in Explorer View within Primary Sidebar

Description:

It would be incredibly helpful to have the ability to “Pin” specific files and folders within the project/workspace Explorer sidebar. This functionality would allow users to keep frequently accessed or currently important items readily visible and accessible at the top of their file/folder list, regardless of the project’s overall structure or recent activity.

Suggested Implementation:

This could be implemented in one of two ways, similar to existing UI patterns within Cursor/VS Code:

  1. Right-Click Context Menu: When a user right-clicks on a file or folder in the Explorer sidebar, an option like “Pin” or “Pin to Top” could be available. Clicking this would move the item to a dedicated “Pinned” section at the top of the Explorer, or simply keep it at the top of the regular file/folder list. A corresponding “Unpin” option would also be necessary.
  2. Thumbtack Icon: Similar to how users can pin views like Explorer, Search, Source Control, etc., to the Primary Sidebar, a small thumbtack icon could appear when hovering over a file or folder in the Explorer. Clicking this icon would pin/unpin the item.
Primary Sidebar Menu
Primary Sidebar Menu399×244 5.64 KB

Benefits:

  • Improved Workflow Efficiency: Quickly access critical project files without navigating through potentially deep folder structures.
  • Better Organization: Keep focus on relevant files/folders, especially in large or complex projects.
  • Reduced Cognitive Load: Less time spent searching for frequently used items.
  • Consistency with Existing UI: Leverages a familiar pinning concept already present for sidebar views.

Use Case Example:

Imagine working on a feature that involves changes across several directories and sub-directories but primarily three specific files. Pinning these three files would keep them grouped and instantly accessible at the top of the Explorer, saving considerable time and clicks compared to manually locating them each time. Similarly, if you’re frequently referencing a specific configuration folder or a ‘docs’ directory, pinning it would be very convenient.

This feature would be a significant quality-of-life improvement for many Cursor users, enhancing navigation and focus within the editor. Thank you for considering this request!

2

VSCode, on which Cursor is based does not have that feature but there are several extensions you can install in Cursor from the marketplace that offer bookmarks for either files or even code lines.

Perhaps that would give you the ability you need?

3

I mean yes it would, but why not make it native rather than relying on an extension for that if it’s already implemented elsewhere.

It sounds like you’re saying that that is VSCode behavior which can’t be modified by Cursor, is that accurate?

In that case then I guess yeah an extension would be the only way to get that ability.

4

Technically it could be added by the Cursor team, VSCode does not prevent that.

But the bookmarks are not their specialty I assume, its AI features that they add to make Cursor better than VSCode.

Even Microsoft doesnt add all features directly into VSCode so they added Extensions capability that the community can provide more features. Those that need the specific feature can install the extensions as not everyone needs every feature.

I looked up the extension that would fit your use case, its called file-bookmark.

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