Smart Explorer
rogerdigital419 downloadsAn alternative file explorer with custom sorting, grouping, filtering, and lightweight previews.
- Overview
- Scorecard
- Updates11
A tree-first side-pane explorer for browsing, filtering, and manually sorting your Obsidian files.
Built for vaults with hundreds or thousands of notes where the default file tree falls short, especially project folders that need a human priority order instead of only alphabetical sorting.
Features
| Category | Options |
|---|---|
| Browse | Folder tree by default, with folder counts and compact hover details |
| Create | Create notes and folders via toolbar, context menu, or command palette — with inline name editing |
| Edit | Rename files inline; extensions stay fixed so only the name changes |
| Sort | Name (A-Z / Z-A), modified date, created date, extension, file size, manual drag order |
| Filter | Search by name/path, file kind (all / markdown / attachments / images), date range (1d / 7d / 30d) |
| View | Tree/list toggle; Manual sort automatically uses list mode for direct drag-and-drop |
| Commands | Open, focus search, reveal active file, new note, new folder — all in the Command Palette |
| Keyboard | Focus search, clear search, move through rows, and open selected files |
| Settings | Default sort/group mode, hidden extensions, reset manual order |
Manual Drag-and-Drop Sorting
Switch to Manual sort mode to drag the handle beside a file and reorder it. The starting order matches whatever sort you were viewing ("what you see is what you drag"), shown in a toolbar hint. Use Undo to revert the last reorder. The custom order is saved per vault, keeps new files draggable, and persists across sessions. Works on both desktop and mobile.
Installation
Community Plugins (recommended)
- Open Settings → Community Plugins → Browse
- Search for Smart Explorer
- Click Install, then Enable
Manual
- Download
main.js,manifest.json, andstyles.cssfrom the latest release - Create
.obsidian/plugins/smart-explorer/in your vault - Copy the three files into that folder
- Enable in Settings → Community Plugins
Usage
- Open via ribbon icon or Command Palette → Smart Explorer: Open
- Use the first toolbar row for tree/list mode, sorting, new notes/folders, search, and filters
- Click search to reveal the search box; click filters for grouping, file kind, and modified-date filters
- Click a file to open it in Obsidian
- Use the clear button near the file count to clear active search and filters
- Defaults persist in Settings → Community Plugins → Smart Explorer
Keyboard & Commands
Cmd/Ctrl+Ffocuses the search boxEscclears search text or closes the filter rowArrow Up/Downmoves through file rowsEnteropens the focused file- Command Palette actions: Smart Explorer: Open, Focus search, Reveal active file, New note, New folder
Compatibility
- Obsidian ≥ 1.7.2
- Desktop and mobile
Privacy
No network requests. File writes only happen when you explicitly create a note or folder.
Development
npm install # install dependencies
npm run dev # watch mode
npm run build # type-check + production build
npm test # unit tests
npm run lint # eslint