VSCode/Q/Is there anything in VS Code similar to PyCharm's UI buttons for switching between file tree view modes?

• Is there anything in VSCode similar to PyCharm's UI buttons for switching between file tree view modes?

  • AI Answer

    • Short answer: No built-in equivalent exists. VS Code's Explorer is a single flat file tree with no named view modes. The closest built-ins are collapsible Explorer sections and the Activity Bar's distinct view containers; third-party extensions fill the gap.
    • PyCharm context: PyCharm's Project panel has a dropdown that switches between named modes — Project, Packages, Project Files, Open Files, Production, Tests, Scratches & Consoles — each reorganising the tree differently without leaving the panel.
    • VS Code built-ins:
      • Activity Bar icons — each icon opens a completely different panel (Explorer file tree, Search, Source Control, Run & Debug, Extensions). These are separate tools, not alternative views of the same file tree.
      • Explorer sections — the Explorer panel has collapsible sub-sections: Open Editors, the workspace file tree, Outline, and Timeline. Sections can be hidden or reordered via right-click, but there is no mode switcher.
      • Multi-root workspaces — adding multiple folders to a workspace shows each root as a separate collapsible tree. Useful but not a "mode."
    • Extension options (closest to PyCharm-style view switching):
      • Project Manager — adds a dedicated sidebar view for switching between saved projects; does not remode the file tree itself.
      • Explorer Exclude — toggle visibility of file-type groups via toolbar buttons in the Explorer; conceptually closest to a mode switcher.
      • Custom tree-view extensions (e.g. file grouping by type, by git status) can approximate specific PyCharm modes.
    • Bottom line: VS Code deliberately keeps the Explorer minimal; view filtering is done through files.exclude settings or extensions rather than first-class UI mode buttons. See VSCode/Q/Is there a setting that hides or shows dot folders and dot files in the explorer panel on the left by default? for the settings approach.