Editor Service

The Editor Service (IEditorService) is a workbench service that manages opening, closing, and interacting with editors across editor groups. It provides a high-level API for editor operations and tracks the active and visible editors.

Service Overview

The Editor Service is defined in src/vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService.ts:17 and serves as the primary interface for editor management.

Service Identifier

export const IEditorService = createDecorator<IEditorService>('editorService');

Dependency Injection

import { IEditorService } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';
import { URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';

export class MyEditorFeature {
  constructor(
    @IEditorService private readonly editorService: IEditorService
  ) {}

  async openFile(uri: URI): Promise<void> {
    await this.editorService.openEditor({
      resource: uri
    });
  }
}

Opening Editors

openEditor() - Open Single Editor

editor

IUntypedEditorInput

required

The editor input to open (resource, options, etc.)

group

PreferredGroup

Target group: ACTIVE_GROUP, SIDE_GROUP, AUX_WINDOW_GROUP, or group identifier

import { ACTIVE_GROUP, SIDE_GROUP } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';

// Open file in active group
await editorService.openEditor({
  resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts')
});

// Open with options
await editorService.openEditor({
  resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts'),
  options: {
    selection: { startLineNumber: 10, startColumn: 1 },
    pinned: true,
    preserveFocus: false,
    revealIfOpened: true
  }
});

// Open in side group
await editorService.openEditor(
  { resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts') },
  SIDE_GROUP
);

// Open in specific group
const group = editorGroupService.getGroup(2);
await editorService.openEditor(
  { resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts') },
  group
);

Group Constants

// Open in currently active group
export const ACTIVE_GROUP = -1;

// Open to the side of the active group
export const SIDE_GROUP = -2;

// Open in auxiliary window
export const AUX_WINDOW_GROUP = -3;

// Open in modal overlay
export const MODAL_GROUP = -4;

Opening Different Editor Types

Text Files

// Open text file
await editorService.openEditor({
  resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts'),
  options: {
    selection: { startLineNumber: 5, startColumn: 10 },
    viewState: savedViewState
  }
});

Diff Editors

import { IResourceDiffEditorInput } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';

// Open diff editor
await editorService.openEditor({
  original: { resource: URI.file('/path/to/original.ts') },
  modified: { resource: URI.file('/path/to/modified.ts') },
  label: 'My Diff',
  options: {
    preserveFocus: false
  }
});

Untitled Files

// Open untitled file
await editorService.openEditor({
  resource: undefined,  // No resource = untitled
  contents: 'Initial content',
  languageId: 'typescript',
  options: {
    pinned: true
  }
});

// Open untitled with specific resource
await editorService.openEditor({
  resource: URI.from({ scheme: 'untitled', path: '/Untitled-1' }),
  languageId: 'markdown'
});

openEditors() - Open Multiple Editors

import { IOpenEditorsOptions } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';

// Open multiple editors
const panes = await editorService.openEditors([
  { resource: URI.file('/path/to/file1.ts') },
  { resource: URI.file('/path/to/file2.ts') },
  { resource: URI.file('/path/to/file3.ts') }
], ACTIVE_GROUP);

console.log(`Opened ${panes.length} editors`);

// Open with validation
await editorService.openEditors(
  editors,
  ACTIVE_GROUP,
  { validateTrust: true }
);

Managing Editors

Active and Visible Editors

// Get active editor
const activeEditor = editorService.activeEditor;
if (activeEditor) {
  console.log('Active editor:', activeEditor.getName());
  console.log('Resource:', activeEditor.resource?.fsPath);
}

// Get active editor pane (UI component)
const activePane = editorService.activeEditorPane;
if (activePane) {
  console.log('Active pane ID:', activePane.getId());
  const control = activePane.getControl();
  // Access editor widget
}

// Get active text editor control
const textControl = editorService.activeTextEditorControl;
if (textControl) {
  const model = textControl.getModel();
  console.log('Current text:', model?.getValue());
}

// Get all visible editors
const visibleEditors = editorService.visibleEditors;
console.log(`${visibleEditors.length} editors visible`);

// Get all visible editor panes
const visiblePanes = editorService.visibleEditorPanes;
for (const pane of visiblePanes) {
  console.log('Visible:', pane.input?.getName());
}

Finding Editors

import { IResourceEditorInputIdentifier } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';

// Find editors by resource
const editors = editorService.findEditors(URI.file('/path/to/file.ts'));
for (const { editor, groupId } of editors) {
  console.log(`Found in group ${groupId}:`, editor.getName());
}

// Find specific editor
const specificEditors = editorService.findEditors({
  resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts'),
  typeId: 'workbench.editors.files.textFileEditor'
});

// Check if editor is opened
const isOpened = editorService.isOpened({
  resource: URI.file('/path/to/file.ts')
});

// Check if editor is visible
if (activeEditor && editorService.isVisible(activeEditor)) {
  console.log('Active editor is visible');
}

Closing Editors

import { ICloseEditorOptions } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorGroupsService';

// Close specific editor
const editorToClose = editorService.findEditors(uri)[0];
if (editorToClose) {
  await editorService.closeEditor(editorToClose);
}

// Close with options
await editorService.closeEditor(editorToClose, {
  preserveFocus: true,  // Don't change focus
  skipConfirm: false    // Still ask to save if dirty
});

// Close multiple editors
const editorsToClose = editorService.findEditors(folderUri);
await editorService.closeEditors(editorsToClose);

Replacing Editors

import { IUntypedEditorReplacement } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';

// Replace editor with another
const currentEditor = editorService.activeEditor;
if (currentEditor) {
  await editorService.replaceEditors(
    [{
      editor: currentEditor,
      replacement: { resource: newUri },
      forceReplaceDirty: false  // Ask to save if dirty
    }],
    currentEditor.groupId
  );
}

Saving and Reverting

Saving Editors

import { ISaveEditorsOptions, ISaveEditorsResult } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';

// Save single editor
const editorId = editorService.findEditors(uri)[0];
const result = await editorService.save(editorId);

if (result.success) {
  console.log('Saved successfully');
}

// Save multiple editors
const editorsToSave = editorService.findEditors(folderUri);
const multiResult = await editorService.save(editorsToSave, {
  reason: 'AUTO',  // Save reason
  saveAs: false    // Don't prompt for location
});

// Save all dirty editors
const allResult = await editorService.saveAll({
  includeUntitled: true,
  excludeSticky: false,
  reason: 'EXPLICIT'
});

console.log(`Saved ${allResult.editors.length} editors`);

Reverting Editors

import { IRevertOptions } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';

// Revert single editor
const editorId = editorService.findEditors(uri)[0];
const reverted = await editorService.revert(editorId, {
  force: false,  // Ask for confirmation if dirty
  soft: false    // Hard revert (discard all changes)
});

// Revert all dirty editors
const allReverted = await editorService.revertAll({
  includeUntitled: false,  // Don't close untitled
  excludeSticky: true      // Don't revert pinned editors
});

Editor Enumeration

import { EditorsOrder } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';

// Get all open editors
const allEditors = editorService.editors;
console.log(`${allEditors.length} editors open`);

// Get total count
const count = editorService.count;

// Get editors in specific order
const editorsByMRU = editorService.getEditors(EditorsOrder.MOST_RECENTLY_ACTIVE);
const editorsBySequence = editorService.getEditors(EditorsOrder.SEQUENTIAL);

// Exclude sticky editors
const nonStickyEditors = editorService.getEditors(
  EditorsOrder.SEQUENTIAL,
  { excludeSticky: true }
);

for (const { editor, groupId } of nonStickyEditors) {
  console.log(`Group ${groupId}: ${editor.getName()}`);
}

Events

onDidActiveEditorChange

// Listen to active editor changes
editorService.onDidActiveEditorChange(() => {
  const active = editorService.activeEditor;
  if (active) {
    console.log('Active editor changed to:', active.getName());
    console.log('Resource:', active.resource?.fsPath);
  } else {
    console.log('No active editor');
  }
});

onDidVisibleEditorsChange

// Listen to visible editors changes
editorService.onDidVisibleEditorsChange(() => {
  const visible = editorService.visibleEditors;
  console.log(`${visible.length} editors now visible`);
  
  for (const editor of visible) {
    console.log('Visible:', editor.getName());
  }
});

onDidEditorsChange

import { IEditorsChangeEvent } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';

// Listen to any editor change in any group
editorService.onDidEditorsChange((event: IEditorsChangeEvent) => {
  console.log(`Change in group ${event.groupId}`);
  console.log('Event kind:', event.event.kind);
  
  if (event.event.editor) {
    console.log('Affected editor:', event.event.editor.getName());
  }
});

onWillOpenEditor

import { IEditorWillOpenEvent } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';

// Intercept editor opening
editorService.onWillOpenEditor((event: IEditorWillOpenEvent) => {
  console.log('About to open:', event.editor.resource?.fsPath);
  
  // Can prevent default and handle custom open logic
  if (shouldHandleCustom(event.editor)) {
    event.prevent(() => {
      return openCustomEditor(event.editor);
    });
  }
});

onDidCloseEditor

import { IEditorCloseEvent } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';

// Listen to editor closing
editorService.onDidCloseEditor((event: IEditorCloseEvent) => {
  console.log('Editor closed:', event.editor.getName());
  console.log('Group:', event.groupId);
  console.log('Index:', event.index);
  console.log('Sticky:', event.sticky);
});

Common Use Cases

Opening Files with Selection

export class NavigationService {
  constructor(
    @IEditorService private editorService: IEditorService
  ) {}

  async navigateToSymbol(uri: URI, line: number, column: number): Promise<void> {
    await this.editorService.openEditor({
      resource: uri,
      options: {
        selection: {
          startLineNumber: line,
          startColumn: column,
          endLineNumber: line,
          endColumn: column
        },
        revealIfOpened: true,  // Scroll to position if already open
        preserveFocus: false,  // Give focus to editor
        pinned: false          // Don't pin the editor
      }
    });
  }
}

Managing Editor Layout

export class LayoutManager {
  constructor(
    @IEditorService private editorService: IEditorService
  ) {}

  async openSideBySide(leftUri: URI, rightUri: URI): Promise<void> {
    // Open first file in active group
    await this.editorService.openEditor(
      { resource: leftUri },
      ACTIVE_GROUP
    );

    // Open second file to the side
    await this.editorService.openEditor(
      { resource: rightUri },
      SIDE_GROUP
    );
  }

  async openMultipleFiles(uris: URI[]): Promise<void> {
    // Open all files at once
    const inputs = uris.map(uri => ({ resource: uri }));
    await this.editorService.openEditors(inputs, ACTIVE_GROUP);
  }
}

Tracking Active Editor

export class EditorTracker {
  private currentUri: URI | undefined;

  constructor(
    @IEditorService private editorService: IEditorService
  ) {
    this.trackActiveEditor();
  }

  private trackActiveEditor(): void {
    // Track current editor
    this.editorService.onDidActiveEditorChange(() => {
      const active = this.editorService.activeEditor;
      const newUri = active?.resource;

      if (this.currentUri !== newUri) {
        this.onEditorChanged(this.currentUri, newUri);
        this.currentUri = newUri;
      }
    });
  }

  private onEditorChanged(oldUri: URI | undefined, newUri: URI | undefined): void {
    if (oldUri) {
      console.log('Left editor:', oldUri.fsPath);
    }
    if (newUri) {
      console.log('Entered editor:', newUri.fsPath);
    }
  }
}

Smart Save Operations

export class SmartSaver {
  constructor(
    @IEditorService private editorService: IEditorService
  ) {}

  async saveWorkspaceFiles(workspaceUri: URI): Promise<void> {
    // Find all editors in workspace
    const editors = this.editorService.getEditors(EditorsOrder.SEQUENTIAL)
      .filter(({ editor }) => {
        const resource = editor.resource;
        return resource && resource.toString().startsWith(workspaceUri.toString());
      });

    // Save them all
    const result = await this.editorService.save(editors, {
      reason: 'EXPLICIT'
    });

    if (result.success) {
      console.log(`Saved ${result.editors.length} files`);
    } else {
      console.error('Save operation failed');
    }
  }

  async closeUnsavedEditors(): Promise<void> {
    // Get all dirty editors
    const dirtyEditors = this.editorService.getEditors(EditorsOrder.SEQUENTIAL)
      .filter(({ editor }) => editor.isDirty());

    // Try to save them
    const result = await this.editorService.save(dirtyEditors);

    // Close successfully saved editors
    if (result.success) {
      await this.editorService.closeEditors(dirtyEditors);
    }
  }
}

Best Practices

Use Untyped Inputs: Prefer untyped editor inputs ({ resource: uri }) over creating EditorInput instances. This allows the editor resolver to select the appropriate editor.

Preserve Focus: When opening editors in the background, use preserveFocus: true to keep the user’s current focus.

Handle Missing Files: Always handle cases where files might not exist or fail to open. Check isOpened() before performing operations.

Group Management: Use SIDE_GROUP to open editors to the side, but consider using IEditorGroupsService for more complex layout requirements.

Event Disposal: Always dispose of event listeners when your component is disposed to prevent memory leaks.

IEditorGroupsService - Lower-level service for managing editor groups
IEditorResolverService - Maps resources to appropriate editor types
ITextFileService - Higher-level service for text file operations

Extension API

Core Services

Platform APIs

Editor Service

Editor Service

Service Overview

Service Identifier

Dependency Injection

Opening Editors

openEditor() - Open Single Editor

Opening Different Editor Types

openEditors() - Open Multiple Editors

Managing Editors

Active and Visible Editors

Finding Editors

Closing Editors

Replacing Editors

Saving and Reverting

Saving Editors

Reverting Editors

Editor Enumeration

Events

onDidActiveEditorChange

onDidVisibleEditorsChange

onDidEditorsChange

onWillOpenEditor

onDidCloseEditor

Common Use Cases

Opening Files with Selection

Managing Editor Layout

Tracking Active Editor

Smart Save Operations

Best Practices

See Also

Extension API

Core Services

Platform APIs

​Editor Service

​Service Overview

​Service Identifier

​Dependency Injection

​Opening Editors

​openEditor() - Open Single Editor

​Opening Different Editor Types

​openEditors() - Open Multiple Editors

​Managing Editors

​Active and Visible Editors

​Finding Editors

​Closing Editors

​Replacing Editors

​Saving and Reverting

​Saving Editors

​Reverting Editors

​Editor Enumeration

​Events

​onDidActiveEditorChange

​onDidVisibleEditorsChange

​onDidEditorsChange

​onWillOpenEditor

​onDidCloseEditor

​Common Use Cases

​Opening Files with Selection

​Managing Editor Layout

​Tracking Active Editor

​Smart Save Operations

​Best Practices

​Related Services

​See Also

Editor Service

Service Overview

Service Identifier

Dependency Injection

Opening Editors

openEditor() - Open Single Editor

Opening Different Editor Types

openEditors() - Open Multiple Editors

Managing Editors

Active and Visible Editors

Finding Editors

Closing Editors

Replacing Editors

Saving and Reverting

Saving Editors

Reverting Editors

Editor Enumeration

Events

onDidActiveEditorChange

onDidVisibleEditorsChange

onDidEditorsChange

onWillOpenEditor

onDidCloseEditor

Common Use Cases

Opening Files with Selection

Managing Editor Layout

Tracking Active Editor

Smart Save Operations

Best Practices

Related Services

See Also