Explorer Dates

Explorer Dates brings file modification timestamps directly into VS Code's Explorer sidebar. See when files were last modified with intuitive time badges like 5m, 2h, 3d.

Features

Core Features

Date Decorations: Shows last modified dates directly in the Explorer sidebar
Smart Formatting: Multiple format options from concise relative time to full absolute dates
File Size Display: Optional file size alongside dates (e.g., "5m • 1.2KB")
Color Schemes: Choose from none, recency-based, subtle, or vibrant color coding
Automatic Refresh: Configurable periodic badge refresh keeps timestamps accurate during long editor sessions
Context Menu Integration: Right-click to copy file dates or show detailed file information

User Experience

Keyboard Shortcuts: Quick toggle decorations with Ctrl+Shift+D (Cmd+Shift+D on Mac)
Cache Diagnostics: Inspect cache health instantly with Explorer Dates: Debug Cache Performance (Ctrl+Shift+M / Cmd+Shift+M)
Non-intrusive: Subtle decorations that don't clutter your workspace
Accessibility: High-contrast mode and screen reader compatible
Localization: Support for 6 languages (EN, ES, FR, DE, JA, ZH) with auto-detection

Performance & Customization

Intelligent Performance: Smart caching, configurable exclusions, and file watching
Incremental Indexing: Background indexer with worker-backed digestion keeps metadata fresh without blocking the UI
Flexible Configuration: 15+ settings to customize display, performance, and behavior
Debugging Tools: Built-in logging, performance metrics, and troubleshooting commands

Productivity & Collaboration

Workspace Templates: Save and reapply full Explorer Dates configurations, or export/share JSON templates for your team.
Reporting & Analytics: Generate modification reports (JSON/CSV/HTML/Markdown) with activity retention controls and optional time-tracking integrations.
Extensibility: Opt-in public API plus decoration provider plugin hooks for other extensions. Toggle enableExtensionApi/allowExternalPlugins if you need a locked-down environment.
VS Code for Web Ready: Dedicated browser bundle keeps badges, templates, and reporting working inside vscode.dev, github.dev, and other remote/browser IDEs.

How It Works

The extension uses VS Code's FileDecorationProvider API to add date information as subtle badges next to file names in the Explorer. No separate panels or views - the dates appear directly where you need them.

Date Format Examples (practical 2‑char limit):

Recent files: 5m, 2h, 3d, 1w
This year (month token examples, truncated to 2 chars): Oc, Se, Ja
Author initials (when selected via badgePriority: "author"): JD, AL
Compact sizes (when badgePriority: "size" and showFileSize enabled): 5K, 2M, 12

Note: VS Code enforces a practical 2‑character limit for Explorer badges across platforms and fonts. Explorer Dates truncates visual badges to 2 characters to avoid rejection or layout issues. Full date, full size, and full Git info are always available in the decoration tooltip and in accessibility text.

Getting Started

Quick Start

Install the extension from VS Code Marketplace
Restart VS Code (decorations appear automatically)
Customize via Settings → search "explorer dates"
Try shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+D to toggle, right-click files for options

First-Time Setup Recommendations

Large projects / Low resource systems: Enable performanceMode: true to disable all features except basic date/time tooltips
Large projects (without performance mode): Enable performance exclusions for node_modules, dist, etc.
Visual preference: Try colorScheme: "recency" and showFileSize: true
Minimal look: Use dateDecorationFormat: "smart" (default)
Accessibility: Enable highContrastMode if needed

Usage

View decorations: Date badges appear automatically in Explorer
Get details: Hover over decorations for full timestamps and Git info
Quick actions: Right-click files for "Copy File Date" and "Show File Details"
Commands: Use Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) for:
- Explorer Dates: Toggle Date Decorations
- Explorer Dates: Copy File Date
- Explorer Dates: Show File Details
- Explorer Dates: Show Performance Metrics
- Explorer Dates: Open Logs
- Explorer Dates: Refresh Date Decorations
- Explorer Dates: Organize Settings
- Full list in DOCS/COMMANDS.md

Documentation

DOCS/TROUBLESHOOTING.md — quick triage, upgrade checklist, symptom playbooks
DOCS/SETTINGS_GUIDE.md — setting-by-setting reference and examples
DOCS/UPGRADE_GUIDE.md — v1.3.x migration steps and presets
DOCS/ARCHITECTURE.md — module federation, chunk gating, and bundle optimization details
DOCS/COMMANDS.md — command palette reference with IDs and descriptions
DOCS/PERF_BASELINES.md — managing local vs. CI performance baselines and downloading artifacts

Settings Housekeeping

Explorer Dates now auto-detects misplaced workspace settings or unsorted explorer-dates-*.json files during activation/migrations and quietly reorganizes them when needed.
Explorer Dates: Organize Settings remains available for manual runs (or when automation is disabled).
Use npm run format:settings (or node scripts/sort-settings.js path/to/file.json) to alphabetize any VS Code or Explorer Dates JSON config on demand.

VS Code for Web Support

Launch vscode.dev or github.dev and open your repo (File → Open Remote Repository, or press . in GitHub).
Install Explorer Dates from the Extensions sidebar—no desktop dependencies required.
Browser-specific behaviors:
- Templates export/import via download dialogs because the sandbox cannot write to disk.
- Persistent cache and onboarding data use VS Code’s synced globalState, so settings roam with your Microsoft/GitHub account.
- Git-only commands automatically hide when the web host cannot expose repository metadata.
Remote environments (Codespaces, Dev Containers, Remote Tunnels) leverage the same web bundle, so Explorer Dates stays lightweight even when running over the network.

v1.3.0 Architecture & Bundle Size

Module Federation System

Explorer Dates v1.3.0 uses a modern module federation architecture that dramatically reduces the initial bundle size while providing all the features you need:

Bundle Structure:

Core Bundle: ~99KB (essential features: file decorations, basic commands, performance monitoring)
Optional Chunks: ~281KB total (advanced features loaded on demand)
- Onboarding System: ~34KB (welcome wizard, feature tour)
- Export & Reporting: ~17KB (file modification reports, analytics)
- Workspace Templates: ~14KB (configuration templates, team profiles)
- Extension API: ~15KB (third-party extension integration)
- Advanced Cache: ~5KB (enhanced caching algorithms)
- Analysis Commands: ~8KB (diagnostic and debugging tools)
- Workspace Intelligence: ~12KB (smart exclusions, large workspace detection)
- Incremental Workers: ~19KB (background file processing)

Feature Gating Benefits:

Disable unused features: Save 36% bundle size by disabling onboarding + reporting
Team standardization: Consistent configurations across development teams
Performance optimization: Only load features you actually use
Progressive enhancement: Features activate based on workspace characteristics

Configuration: To disable features and reduce bundle size, add these to your settings:

{
  "explorerDates.enableOnboardingSystem": false,     // Save ~34KB
  "explorerDates.enableExportReporting": false,      // Save ~17KB
  "explorerDates.enableWorkspaceTemplates": false,   // Save ~14KB
  "explorerDates.enableExtensionApi": false,         // Save ~15KB
  "explorerDates.enableIncrementalWorkers": false    // Save ~19KB
}

Team Configuration Management

v1.3.0 introduces comprehensive team configuration support:

Team Profiles: Share standardized configurations across your team
Conflict Resolution: Intelligent merging when team configs conflict with user preferences
Export/Import: JSON-based configuration sharing with validation
Settings Migration: Automatic migration from legacy settings with conflict detection

See Upgrade Guide for detailed setup instructions.

Configuration

Quick Setup: Most users only need to configure the first 2-3 settings below. See SETTINGS_GUIDE.md for detailed configuration examples.

Essential Settings

Setting	Options	Default	Description
`showDateDecorations`	`true`/`false`	`true`	Enable/disable all date decorations
`dateDecorationFormat`	`smart`, `relative-short`, `relative-long`, `absolute-short`, `absolute-long`	`smart`	How dates are displayed
`colorScheme`	`none`, `recency`, `file-type`, `subtle`, `vibrant`, `custom`	`none`	Color coding for decorations

Feature Control Settings (v1.3.0)

Setting	Options	Default	Bundle Impact	Description
`enableOnboardingSystem`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~34KB	Welcome wizard and feature tour
`enableExportReporting`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~17KB	File modification reports and analytics
`enableWorkspaceTemplates`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~14KB	Configuration templates and team profiles
`enableExtensionApi`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~15KB	API for third-party extension integration
`enableAdvancedCache`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~5KB	Enhanced caching algorithms
`enableAnalysisCommands`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~8KB	Diagnostic and debugging commands
`enableWorkspaceIntelligence`	`true`/`false`	`true`	~12KB	Smart exclusions and workspace analysis
`enableIncrementalWorkers`	`true`/`false`	`false`	~19KB	Background file processing workers

Display Enhancements

Setting	Options	Default	Description
`showFileSize`	`true`/`false`	`false`	Show file size with dates
`fileSizeFormat`	`auto`, `bytes`, `kb`, `mb`	`auto`	File size display format
`fadeOldFiles`	`true`/`false`	`false`	Fade decorations for files older than threshold
`fadeThreshold`	Number	`30`	Days after which to fade decorations (1-365)
`showGitInfo`	`none`, `author`, `both`	`none`	Show Git commit author info with dates
`customColors`	Object	`{...}`	Custom colors when colorScheme is 'custom'
`highContrastMode`	`true`/`false`	`false`	Enhanced visibility for accessibility

Badge Priority (practical 2‑char limit)

Setting	Options	Default	Description
`badgePriority`	`time`, `author`, `size`	`time`	Choose which information should occupy the visual badge (limited to 2 characters). `time` shows the time-based badge (default). `author` shows author initials when available. `size` shows a compact size indicator when `showFileSize` is enabled.

Notes:

VS Code enforces a practical 2-character limit for Explorer badges; the extension truncates visual badges to 2 characters to remain compatible with different platforms and icon fonts.
Git author initials and compact size indicators are shown only when requested via badgePriority. Otherwise Git/size information is surfaced in the tooltip and the accessibility text.
Compact size examples: 5K, 2M, or 12 (two-digit fallback).

Custom Colors Configuration

To use custom colors for file decorations:

Set the color scheme:
```
"explorerDates.colorScheme": "custom"
```
Apply your custom colors using one of these methods:

Method 1: Use the command (Recommended)
- Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
- Run Explorer Dates: Apply Custom Colors
- Choose "Copy to Clipboard" or "Open Settings"
Method 2: Manual configuration
- Add to your settings.json:
```
"workbench.colorCustomizations": {
  "explorerDates.customColor.veryRecent": "#FF6095",
  "explorerDates.customColor.recent": "#E72969",
  "explorerDates.customColor.old": "#CCCCCC"
}
```
Color categories:
- veryRecent: Files modified within 1 hour
- recent: Files modified within 1 day
- old: Files modified more than 1 day ago

Note: The explorerDates.customColors setting in the extension configuration is deprecated. Use workbench.colorCustomizations instead for proper theme integration and color support.

Performance & Memory Settings

Setting	Options	Default	Description
`performanceMode`	`true`/`false`	`false`	Minimal performance mode: disables all features except basic date/time tooltips on files. Disables Git info, auto-updates, status bar, progressive loading, and advanced caching. Recommended for large projects or low-resource systems.
`featureLevel`	`auto`, `full`, `enhanced`, `standard`, `minimal`	`auto`	Progressive tuning that keeps Explorer Dates fast without forcing performance mode. `auto` adapts based on workspace size; `full` keeps every feature enabled; `enhanced` trims background tooltips/Git hits; `standard` prefers lightweight tooltips and trims file-size badges; `minimal` keeps only essentials for massive repos.

When to use Performance Mode:

Large projects with thousands of files
Systems with limited CPU or memory
When you only need basic date/time information on hover
When experiencing high resource usage (laptop fan noise, CPU spikes)

What gets disabled in Performance Mode:

Git blame operations (no author information)
File system watching for auto-updates (manual refresh still available)
Status bar integration
Progressive loading and background processing
Advanced caching layers
Color schemes and visual enhancements
File size display
Reduced logging overhead

Memory Management

Explorer Dates is optimized for low memory usage, using smart caching and pooling to keep heap growth minimal. For most users, no configuration is needed.

Hierarchical Cache Buckets

The in-memory decoration cache now groups entries by parent folder, so a single trim removes entire cold directories instead of churning file-by-file. This keeps lookups O(1) while preventing 150K-file monorepos from fragmenting the cache.

Viewport-Aware Decorations

Files you are actively viewing get the full experience (Git badges, colors, rich tooltips). Files outside the current viewport fall back to lightweight badges/tooltips so Explorer stays responsive even when VS Code asks for thousands of decorations at once.

Progressive Feature Levels

The new featureLevel setting (default auto) chooses between Full → Enhanced → Standard → Minimal profiles based on workspace size. Each profile selectively disables expensive features (e.g., Git blame, rich tooltips, color math) for background files while keeping everything enabled for the files you are actually working on.

Background Indexer & Web Workers

A cancellable incremental indexer now walks each workspace folder in the background and stores stat metadata. VS Code can request thousands of decorations without hammering the file system because most background requests reuse those cached stats.
On VS Code desktop the indexer runs inside a dedicated worker_threads helper; on the web build the same logic is executed inside a lightweight WebWorker. Both versions stream delta updates from file watchers so the index stays in sync with your edits within a few hundred milliseconds.
Workspace folder changes (adding/removing repos) automatically restart the indexer, purge orphaned entries, and re-run the large-workspace detector so Explorer Dates keeps the correct scale without manual reloads.

Automatic Large Workspace Detection

Explorer Dates automatically detects workspaces with 250,000+ files during startup
When detected, you'll receive a prompt with options:
- Enable Performance Mode: Automatically enables minimal-overhead mode
- Keep Current Settings: Continue with current configuration
- Don't Ask Again: Suppress future warnings for this workspace
This proactive detection prevents performance issues before they occur
Set explorerDates.forceEnableForLargeWorkspaces: true to manually suppress the warning

Adaptive File Watching (New)

Smart watchers analyze your workspace layout and only subscribe to high-signal folders like src/, app/, packages/, etc.
Dynamic watchers shadow the directories of files you open or edit and automatically expire after a few idle minutes, so the watcher set always reflects your active working set.
Watcher events are automatically throttled (100ms normal, 250ms large workspaces, 600ms extreme/150K+) to avoid thrashing the decoration pipeline.
Tune the behavior via:
- explorerDates.smartFileWatching (toggle adaptive mode, fallback to **/* watcher when disabled)
- explorerDates.smartWatcherMaxPatterns (cap the number of base patterns per workspace folder)
- explorerDates.smartWatcherExtensions (prioritized file extensions)
Large-workspace detection automatically re-calibrates the watcher strategy when a repo crosses the 50K files threshold, so you keep badges without flipping performance mode.

Activity Tracking Guardrail

Workspace activity tracking now defaults to 3,000 files and automatically evicts the oldest entries when the cap is exceeded.
Adjust via explorerDates.maxTrackedActivityFiles (set to 0 to disable tracking entirely; range 500–20,000).
Matches your existing exclusion rules, so folders like node_modules/ or patterns such as **/*.log never enter the cache.
The activity watcher is disabled automatically on the web build or when the cap is 0, preventing VS Code idle-memory creep.
Hybrid filtering prefers explicit VS Code user events (saves/creates/deletes) and only falls back to the filesystem watcher for files that are currently open or were touched recently, so automated build churn is ignored by default.
Tracking is automatically suppressed when performanceMode is enabled or EXPLORER_DATES_LIGHTWEIGHT_MODE=1, so lightweight profiles stay completely idle.
Activity reports now include a source breakdown (user vs watcher) so you can confirm whether entries were driven by real edits or background automation.

v1.2.5 Memory Enhancements:

Decoration Pooling: Reuses FileDecoration objects instead of allocating new ones per request (99.9% cache hit rate)
Flyweight String Caching: Capped FIFO caches for badge strings and tooltips prevent transient allocations
Advanced Cache Slimming: Compact storage reduces per-entry memory footprint by ~40%
Memory Shedding: Optional adaptive guardrail that monitors heap and stretches refresh intervals under pressure

Advanced Memory Options (Environment Variables)

For users with very large workspaces (1000+ files) or memory-constrained systems, these options enable adaptive memory management:

# Memory Shedding (Adaptive Guardrail)
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHEDDING=1              # Enable adaptive memory guardrail
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHED_THRESHOLD_MB=3    # Trigger threshold (MB, default 3, range 1-5)
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHED_CACHE_LIMIT=1000  # Cache cap during shedding (default 1000 entries)
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHED_REFRESH_MS=60000  # Min refresh interval during shedding (default 60s)

# Lightweight Mode (Maximum Memory Efficiency)
export EXPLORER_DATES_LIGHTWEIGHT_MODE=1             # Force performance mode + disable git/colors/accessibility

Example Usage

# For large workspaces with memory concerns:
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHEDDING=1
code .

# For memory-constrained environments (Codespaces, embedded systems):
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHEDDING=1
export EXPLORER_DATES_LIGHTWEIGHT_MODE=1
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHED_THRESHOLD_MB=2
code .

# Combined: maximum efficiency for resource-limited scenarios
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHEDDING=1
export EXPLORER_DATES_MEMORY_SHED_THRESHOLD_MB=1
export EXPLORER_DATES_LIGHTWEIGHT_MODE=1
code .

How Memory Shedding Works

When enabled, memory shedding monitors heap usage during idle periods:

Below threshold: No impact, operates normally (~0.53 MB typical delta in zero-delay soak)
Above threshold: Automatically stretches decoration refresh intervals and shrinks the file metadata cache to reduce memory pressure
Fallback: If memory shedding isn't available, the extension continues operating normally with standard caching

This is useful for:

Workspaces with 1000+ JavaScript/TypeScript files
VS Code in Codespaces or containerized environments
Laptops/embedded systems with <4GB RAM
Remote development environments with bandwidth constraints

Memory Benchmarks (v1.2.5)

Scenario	Heap Delta	Status
Baseline (normal caching)	0.53 MB	✅ 95% improvement
Production usage (5ms delays)	4.68 MB	✅ Excellent
Memory shedding enabled	0.54 MB	✅ Adaptive guardrail working
Lightweight mode	0.39 MB	✅ 24% additional reduction
Combined (both features)	~0.25 MB	✅ Maximum efficiency

See MEMORY_FIX_REPORT.md for comprehensive analysis, test methodology, and Phase 1-4 optimization details.

Debugging & Diagnostics

Developer Tools: If you need to verify badge acceptance, open Help → Toggle Developer Tools (Extension Host console) while running the extension to view any rejection messages.
Built-in diagnostic command (optional): Add the diagnostic snippet from DOCS/SETTINGS_GUIDE.md to register a temporary command that emits test badges for several lengths. Run it and capture Extension Host console output if you see rejection warnings.

Testing & Verification

Run npm test for the full suite (lint, configuration wiring, feature-gate scenarios, workspace/reporting flows, and both bundle verifiers).
npm run test:config ensures every contributed setting is referenced in code/docs before publishing.
npm run test:config-scenarios activates the extension across 90+ mocked configuration permutations to flush out settings regressions.
npm run test:feature-gates activates the extension in a mocked host and verifies the workspace templates, reporting, and API/plug-in toggles behave as expected.
npm run test:flows exercises workspace templates, reporting, and the web bundle using lightweight VS Code shims.
npm run test:bundle and npm run test:verify-bundle provide quick sanity checks for the packaged bundle/VSIX before submitting to the Marketplace.
npm run test:memory runs a GC-assisted soak test that hammers the decoration pipeline for several hundred iterations. It now includes a cache-hit phase followed by forced refreshes and fails if heap growth exceeds 24 MB by default (override with MEMORY_SOAK_MAX_DELTA_MB). Requires Node --expose-gc, which the script enables automatically.

Inspiration & Motivation

Inspired by the original explorer-plus concept, but completely reimplemented using VS Code's native FileDecorationProvider API for better performance and integration.

See CHANGELOG.md for complete details.

Release Notes

Version 1.3.0 (Latest)

Module Federation & Team Configuration Release (Released January 4, 2026)

Explorer Dates v1.3.0 introduces a modern module federation architecture with comprehensive team collaboration features:

🏗️ Architecture Revolution

Module Federation: Dynamic chunk loading reduces base bundle from 267KB to ~99KB core + 281KB optional features
Feature Gating: Disable features you don't use to save bundle size (up to 36% reduction possible)
Cross-Platform Bundles: Dedicated Node.js and web bundles with platform-specific optimizations
Smart Loading: Features load only when needed, with graceful fallback when disabled

👥 Team Collaboration & Configuration

Team Configuration Profiles: Share standardized Explorer Dates configurations across your team
Conflict Resolution: Intelligent merge strategies when team configs conflict with user preferences
Configuration Templates: Built-in presets for different development scenarios (minimal, balanced, enterprise)
Settings Migration: Automatic migration from legacy settings with intelligent conflict detection
Runtime Optimization: Suggest optimal configurations based on workspace characteristics

⚡ Enhanced Performance & Reliability

Comprehensive Testing: 40+ test suites covering feature gating, chunk loading, memory isolation, and edge cases
Memory Optimizations: Advanced pooling and flyweight caching from v1.2.5 retained and enhanced
Error Resilience: Graceful handling of missing chunks, corrupted configurations, and network failures
Bundle Verification: Automated testing ensures all builds are production-ready

🔧 Developer Experience

Configuration Validation: Real-time validation of all settings with helpful error messages
Preset System: One-click application of optimized configurations for different use cases
Chunk Status Monitoring: Visibility into which features are loaded and their impact on bundle size
Advanced Diagnostics: Enhanced debugging tools for configuration and performance analysis

📋 Migration & Deprecations

⚠️ Settings Consolidated: enableReporting → enableExportReporting (automatic migration)
✅ All Configurations Auto-Migrated: Existing configurations automatically upgraded with conflict detection
✅ Backward Compatibility: New feature flags default to enabled
✅ Team Optimization: Teams can disable unused features to optimize bundle size

Upgrade Path: See UPGRADE_GUIDE.md for detailed migration information.

Version 1.2.6

Stability & Memory Optimizations (December 2025)

🧠 Memory Management Enhancements

Decoration Pooling: 99.9% cache hit rate with object reuse
Flyweight String Caching: FIFO caches prevent transient allocations
Advanced Cache Slimming: 40% per-entry memory reduction
Memory Shedding: Optional adaptive guardrail for resource-constrained environments

🎯 Performance Improvements

Hierarchical Cache Buckets: O(1) lookups with intelligent directory-based trimming
Viewport-Aware Decorations: Full experience for active files, lightweight for background
Progressive Feature Levels: Auto-scaling based on workspace size

Version 1.2.5

Large Workspace Performance (November 2025)

📊 Workspace Intelligence

Automatic Large Workspace Detection: Proactive warnings for 250,000+ file projects
Adaptive File Watching: Smart watchers for high-signal folders only
Activity Tracking Guardrail: 3,000 file activity cap with LRU eviction
Hybrid Filtering: User events prioritized over filesystem churn

⚠️ Deprecations & Changes

Memory Environment Variables: New adaptive memory management options
Feature Level Auto-Detection: Workspace size now determines optimal feature set
Smart Watcher Patterns: Legacy **/* watching replaced with adaptive patterns

Version 1.2.2

Workspace Exclusion Reliability (October 2025)

🔧 Configuration Management

Automatic Profile Cleanup: Deduplicates exclusion lists at startup
Smart Suggestion Logic: Only writes newly detected folders, prevents repeat prompts
Enhanced User Control: Single Keep/Review/Revert prompt for auto-exclusions

✅ Improvements

Existing installs automatically sanitized before new suggestions
Cleaner .vscode/settings.json maintenance
Reduced prompt fatigue for workspace exclusions

Version 1.2.0

Configuration Validation & Progressive Loading (September 2025)

🌐 VS Code for Web Support (New)

Dedicated Browser Bundle: Seamless operation on vscode.dev, github.dev
Filesystem Adapter: Platform-agnostic file operations
Download-Based Exports: Web-compatible configuration sharing

🚀 Feature Enhancements

Feature Gating: Active control via enableWorkspaceTemplates, enableReporting, enableExtensionApi
Progressive Loading Warm-up: Background decoration pre-warming for large workspaces
Enhanced Reporting: Custom formats, retention windows, time-tracking integration
Template Accuracy: Built-in templates reference actual Explorer Dates settings

⚠️ Configuration Changes

New Feature Flags: Granular control over extension components
Report Format Evolution: Enhanced CSV/JSON/HTML/Markdown exports
API Access Control: allowExternalPlugins for security-conscious environments

Version 1.1.0

Major Configuration & Feature Update (August 2025)

🎨 Visual Enhancements (New)

File Size Display: Optional file size alongside dates (e.g., "5m • 1.2KB")
Enhanced Color Schemes: recency, file-type, subtle, vibrant, custom options
Badge Priority Control: Choose between time, author, or size in 2-character badges

🖱️ User Experience (New)

Context Menu Integration: Right-click "Copy File Date" and "Show File Details"
Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+D (Cmd+Shift+D) for quick toggle
Improved Tooltips: Rich hover information with full timestamps and Git data

⚠️ Deprecated Features

Legacy Color Settings: Moved to workbench.colorCustomizations for theme integration
Basic Context Actions: Enhanced with dedicated menu items and shortcuts

🔧 Configuration Fixes

Resolved setting conflicts and validation issues
Enhanced settings organization and documentation

Version 1.0.1

Performance & Localization Update (July 2025)

🌍 Accessibility & Localization (New)

Multi-Language Support: EN, ES, FR, DE, JA, ZH with auto-detection
High-Contrast Mode: Enhanced visibility for accessibility needs
Screen Reader Compatibility: Full ARIA support and accessible tooltips

⚡ Performance Optimizations (New)

Configurable Exclusions: Smart exclusion patterns for large projects
Intelligent Caching: Advanced caching algorithms with hit rate optimization
Performance Metrics: Built-in monitoring and diagnostic commands

🔍 Debugging Tools (New)

Built-in Logging: Comprehensive logging system with configurable levels
Performance Metrics Viewer: Real-time performance and cache statistics
Diagnostic Commands: Troubleshooting and health check utilities

Version 1.0.0

Initial Release (June 2025)

🎯 Core Features (New)

Native VS Code Integration: Built using FileDecorationProvider API for optimal performance
Intuitive Time Badges: Clear, readable formats like 5m, 2h, 3d, 1w
Smart Caching: Intelligent file system watching and metadata caching
Lightweight Architecture: No UI overlays, pure native decorations

📋 Foundation

Elegant sidebar integration without workspace clutter
Automatic refresh and file system watching
Basic configuration options for display preferences
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Upgrade Notes:

From v1.2.x: Settings automatically migrated, new feature flags available for bundle optimization
From v1.1.x: Color settings moved to workbench.colorCustomizations, enhanced context menu available
From v1.0.x: Performance mode recommended for large workspaces, accessibility features available

See CHANGELOG.md for complete technical details and UPGRADE_GUIDE.md for migration assistance.

License

MIT

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 111 Commits
.github		.github
.vscode		.vscode
DOCS		DOCS
assets		assets
dist		dist
icons		icons
scripts		scripts
src		src
tests		tests
.eslintrc.js		.eslintrc.js
.gitignore		.gitignore
.nvmrc		.nvmrc
.vscode-test.vsix-smoke.mjs		.vscode-test.vsix-smoke.mjs
.vscodeignore		.vscodeignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
esbuild-federation.js		esbuild-federation.js
esbuild.js		esbuild.js
eslint.config.js		eslint.config.js
extension.js		extension.js
jsconfig.json		jsconfig.json
meta.json		meta.json
package-lock.json		package-lock.json
package.json		package.json

License

incredincomp/explorer-dates

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Repository files navigation

Explorer Dates

Features

Core Features

User Experience

Performance & Customization

Productivity & Collaboration

How It Works

Getting Started

Quick Start

First-Time Setup Recommendations

Usage

Documentation

Settings Housekeeping

VS Code for Web Support

v1.3.0 Architecture & Bundle Size

Module Federation System

Team Configuration Management

Configuration

Essential Settings

Feature Control Settings (v1.3.0)

Display Enhancements

Badge Priority (practical 2‑char limit)

Custom Colors Configuration

Performance & Memory Settings

Memory Management

Debugging & Diagnostics

Testing & Verification

Inspiration & Motivation

Release Notes

Version 1.3.0 (Latest)

🏗️ Architecture Revolution

👥 Team Collaboration & Configuration

⚡ Enhanced Performance & Reliability

🔧 Developer Experience

📋 Migration & Deprecations

Version 1.2.6

🧠 Memory Management Enhancements

🎯 Performance Improvements

Version 1.2.5

📊 Workspace Intelligence

⚠️ Deprecations & Changes

Version 1.2.2

🔧 Configuration Management

✅ Improvements

Version 1.2.0

🌐 VS Code for Web Support (New)

🚀 Feature Enhancements

⚠️ Configuration Changes

Version 1.1.0

🎨 Visual Enhancements (New)

🖱️ User Experience (New)

⚠️ Deprecated Features

🔧 Configuration Fixes

Version 1.0.1

🌍 Accessibility & Localization (New)

⚡ Performance Optimizations (New)

🔍 Debugging Tools (New)

Version 1.0.0

🎯 Core Features (New)

📋 Foundation

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