NVBar is a simple, fast note-taking sidebar for VS Code inspired by nvALT.
- Type a filename in the search box and press Enter to create a new note
- Files are automatically saved with the
.mdextension
- Start typing in the search box to filter files by name
- Use the Search button (magnifying glass) in the toolbar for full-text content search
- Press Escape to clear the search
- Cmd+L (Ctrl+L on Windows/Linux): Focus search box
- Cmd+T: Edit tags for selected file
- Cmd+P: Toggle pin for selected file
- Cmd+R: Rename selected file
- Cmd+Backspace: Delete selected file
- Arrow Down from search box: Move to first file
- Arrow Up/Down: Navigate through files
- Enter: Open selected file or create new file
- Shift+Enter: Search file contents (one-time content search)
- Escape: Clear search and return to search box
Use the toolbar buttons to manage your notes:
- A-Z icon: Sort by filename (toggle A-Z/Z-A → Newest → Oldest)
- Calendar icon: Create or open today's daily note (format: DAILY - yyyy.mm.dd)
The status bar (bottom-right) shows your current sort setting.
NVBar stores settings in .nvbar.json in your workspace folder:
sortBy: "alphabetical", "modificationDate", or "creationDate"sortDirection: "asc" or "desc"showFileExtensions: true or falsesearchDebounce: delay in milliseconds (default: 300)shortcuts: customizable keyboard shortcuts (see defaults above)
- NVBar automatically watches for file changes and updates the list
- All markdown files in your workspace folder are shown
- Preview lines show the first 2 lines of content with markdown stripped
- Long filenames are truncated with ellipsis
Happy note-taking! ✍️
- VSCode 1.80.0 or higher
- A workspace folder must be open - NVBar requires an open folder to manage notes
MIT