FTPU — FTP Upload for VS Code

A lightweight, focused SFTP/FTP uploader for VS Code. FTPU tracks every file you change and gives you full control over what gets uploaded and when — no syncing, no downloading, no clutter.

Built for developers who edit locally and deploy to remote servers, especially useful when working with AI coding agents that modify many files across your project.

Features

Modified Files Tracking

FTPU automatically tracks every file you save or modify and displays them in a dedicated Modified Files panel in the Explorer sidebar. Each file shows its current state:

• Pending — changed locally, not yet uploaded
• Uploading — transfer in progress
• Uploaded — successfully sent to the server
• Failed — upload encountered an error

This is particularly valuable when working with AI coding assistants (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, etc.) that can modify dozens of files in a single session. Instead of trying to remember what changed, FTPU keeps a running list so you can review and upload everything at once when you're ready.

Files persist across VS Code restarts — if you close your editor mid-session, your pending uploads are still there when you come back.

File Watcher Health Check

FTPU includes a built-in diagnostic that verifies your operating system's file watching capability on startup. macOS and Linux have a limited number of file watchers available system-wide, and when too many applications consume them, file change events stop being delivered — silently. Most extensions and tools simply stop working without telling you why.

FTPU actively tests whether file watching is functional by writing and observing a temporary file. If the system can't deliver file change events, FTPU warns you immediately and shows the watcher health status in the status bar:

• Green — file watcher is active, all external changes will be detected
• Red — file watcher is unavailable, typically resolved by restarting your machine
• Yellow — health check in progress

Upload Modes

• Manual — files are tracked as you work, upload individually or all at once when ready
• Upload on Save — every save is automatically uploaded to the remote server

Toggle between modes with a single click on the status bar or via the command palette.

Status Bar

The status bar gives you a persistent overview of your connection and upload state:

• Settings shortcut
• Connection status with server name
• Current upload mode (Auto/Manual)
• File watcher health indicator

Every element is interactive — click to connect, disconnect, toggle upload mode, or open settings.

Configuration UI

FTPU provides a full graphical configuration panel — no need to hand-edit JSON. Access it via the command palette (FTPU: Configure) or the gear icon in the status bar.

• Server connection details (host, port, protocol)
• Authentication via SSH key, password, or SSH agent
• Remote path mapping
• Ignore patterns (glob-based)
• Import from SFTP — migrate your existing sftp.json configuration with one click

Configuration is stored in .vscode/ftpu.json, keeping it alongside your other workspace settings.

Connection Management

• Supports SFTP, FTP, and FTPS protocols
• Automatic reconnection with configurable retry (up to 3 attempts with progressive backoff)
• Keepalive to prevent idle disconnections
• SSH key, password, and SSH agent authentication
• Connection test from the settings panel before committing to a configuration

Explorer Integration

Right-click any file or folder in the VS Code Explorer to upload it directly. Folder uploads recursively send all files while respecting your ignore patterns.

Ignore Patterns

Configure glob patterns to exclude files and directories from tracking and uploading. Defaults include .git, .vscode, node_modules, .env, and .DS_Store. The .git directory is always excluded regardless of configuration.

Commands

All commands are available via the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P):

Command	Description
FTPU: Configure	Open the settings panel
FTPU: Connect	Connect to the remote server
FTPU: Disconnect	Disconnect from the server
FTPU: Upload Current File	Upload the active editor file
FTPU: Upload All Modified	Upload all pending files
FTPU: Clear Modified List	Clear the tracked files list
FTPU: Toggle Upload on Save	Switch between manual and auto upload

Getting Started

1. Open a project in VS Code
2. Run FTPU: Configure from the command palette
3. Enter your server details and save
4. Start editing — FTPU tracks your changes automatically
5. Upload individual files from the Modified Files panel, or hit Upload All Modified when ready

Configuration

FTPU stores its configuration in .vscode/ftpu.json:

{
    "name": "My Server",
    "protocol": "sftp",
    "host": "server.example.com",
    "port": 22,
    "username": "deploy",
    "privateKeyPath": "~/.ssh/id_ed25519",
    "remotePath": "/var/www/myproject",
    "uploadOnSave": false,
    "ignore": [".git", ".vscode", "node_modules", ".env", ".DS_Store"]
}

Migrating from SFTP Extension

If you're coming from the popular SFTP extension, use the Import from SFTP button in the configuration panel. It reads your existing .vscode/sftp.json and maps the settings across automatically.

License

MIT