Hide Files/Directories in Explorer Based on File Permissions

[codermapuche]

Description

I would like to request the ability to hide files and directories in the VS Code file explorer based on their file system permissions. This feature would be particularly beneficial for users who connect to remote servers via the official Microsoft SSH extension, as it would align with the permissions structure of Linux-based servers.

Use Case

In Linux, users often have access to directories where they might not have read or execute permissions for all contents. However, Linux still allows these users to see the existence of files and folders. This creates a confusing and potentially frustrating user experience when working in VS Code's remote environment, especially for developers who cannot open or interact with files that they can see but do not have permissions to access.

When connecting to a server using the Microsoft SSH extension, developers may not have access to every file in a given directory. For example, certain directories may be visible but contain files that the user cannot open or modify due to restrictive permissions (e.g., 700 permissions). Being able to hide these files and directories in the file explorer—based on the user’s actual file system permissions—would provide a cleaner, more intuitive interface and help avoid permission errors.

Why This is Important

• Improved Developer Experience: By hiding files and directories the user cannot access, developers can focus only on the files they are able to interact with, making the file explorer cleaner and reducing noise.
• Security Considerations: Exposing files that a user cannot access could potentially reveal unnecessary information, like the structure of directories or the names of sensitive files, even though they cannot be opened.
• Consistency with Linux Permissions: This feature would create a more consistent experience when working with Linux file systems, aligning VS Code with the behavior users expect from working in a Linux shell or file explorer, where files with insufficient permissions are not visible.
• Error Reduction: Hiding files the user cannot access could reduce errors or confusion when a user tries to open a file that they do not have permission to read or modify.

Proposed Functionality

• File Explorer Integration: The file explorer should respect file permissions and automatically hide files and directories that the user cannot list, read, or execute.
• Configurable Option: Ideally, this feature should be configurable, allowing users to toggle this behavior in their settings.

Relevant Context

This request aligns with existing use cases for remote development, especially on Linux systems, where file permissions are an integral part of user and directory management. By adding this feature, the file explorer will provide a more accurate representation of what users can interact with, improving productivity and usability for developers connecting to remote servers via the SSH extension.

Thank you for considering this feature request. I believe it would be a valuable addition for users working in secure or complex permission-based environments.

Best regards

[vs-code-engineering[bot]]

This feature request is now a candidate for our backlog. The community has 60 days to upvote the issue. If it receives 20 upvotes we will move it to our backlog. If not, we will close it. To learn more about how we handle feature requests, please see our documentation.

Happy Coding!