SSH Explorer (.ssh/config aware)

Important

🤖 This entire project was written by Claude — Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 — working in Claude Code. Every line of source, the build system, the docs, and this README were authored by the model under human direction. Keep that in mind when reading, reusing, or auditing the code.

Browse remote folders in the VS Code Explorer over SFTP, resolving hosts from your ~/.ssh/config. No vscode-server install on the target, no FUSE mount.

Install from the VS Code Marketplace »

Why

• Reads ~/.ssh/config — pick a Host alias (for example to connect to your Le Potato device potato) and it uses the resolved HostName/User/Port/IdentityFile, exactly like ssh potato.
• Shows files in the Explorer — adds the remote path as a workspace folder.
• Reboot-safe — it's SFTP over ssh2, not a FUSE mount. A dropped connection surfaces as an error and reconnects on the next action; it can never wedge the OS the way sshfs does when a device reboots without unmounting.

Use

1. Command Palette → SSH Explorer: Open Host…
2. Pick a host from ~/.ssh/config, accept the folder (default /).
3. The remote folder appears in the Explorer.

SSH Explorer: Disconnect Host… force-drops a session if one ever gets stuck.

How it compares

Extension	Approach	Needs remote install	Reads ~/.ssh/config	Notes
SSH Explorer (this)	SFTP filesystem in the Explorer	No	Yes, directly	Tiny; zero config; host picker sorted A→Z
Remote - SSH (Microsoft)	Full remote workspace	Yes (vscode-server)	Yes	Heavyweight; can't run on restricted/locked-down hosts
SSH FS (Kelvin)	SFTP filesystem provider	No	Partial (import/hop)	Larger feature set, own config UI, supports SSH hops/ProxyJump
SFTP (Natizyskunk / liximomo)	Upload/download sync	No	No (uses sftp.json)	Edit-locally, sync-on-save; not a live remote filesystem

Key differences of SSH Explorer:

• vs Remote - SSH — installs nothing on the target. No vscode-server binary, so it works on appliances, routers, and locked-down hosts where you can't (or won't) run a server.
• vs SSH FS — reads ~/.ssh/config natively (no separate config to maintain) and stays deliberately minimal. SSH FS is more featureful (config editor, terminals, SSH hops) but heavier.
• vs SFTP-sync extensions — files are live over SFTP, not a local copy you sync. There's no sftp.json, no upload-on-save step, and no risk of local/remote drift.
• Reboot-safe by design — it's SFTP over ssh2, not a FUSE mount like sshfs, so a target rebooting without unmounting can never wedge your OS.

Limitations

• ProxyJump is not implemented yet (direct connections only).
• File watching is a no-op — refresh a folder to see external changes.
• Passwordless / key / agent / none auth work without prompts. Interactive password entry is not wired up yet.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.

The code in this repository was written by Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code, under human direction.