Multi-root workspace UX: show active CWD and make root switching obvious
Resolved 💬 2 comments Opened May 27, 2026 by koljaschoepe Closed May 31, 2026
Problem
When using the Claude Code extension in a multi-root workspace (VS Code / Cursor), two related UX issues make it hard to work efficiently:
- The current working directory isn't visible in the extension UI. There's no header indicator showing which workspace root the active session is operating on. The only hint is a small chip near the chat input, which is easy to miss.
- Switching between workspace roots is cumbersome. New sessions auto-pick the first root in the workspace. There's no quick "switch root" affordance comparable to opening a new terminal in a specific folder. Users have to fall back to slash commands (
/cwd,/add-dir) or the terminal.
In contrast, the integrated terminal makes this trivial: open a new terminal, pick the folder from a dropdown, done.
Suggested improvements
- Show the active CWD prominently in the session header (not just in a small chip).
- Add a root picker next to the
+(new session) button — similar to how the terminal lets you pick a folder when creating a new instance. - Persist a per-workspace default root setting (e.g.,
claude-code.defaultWorkingDirectory) so the extension doesn't always grab the first root. - Right-click → "Start Claude Code here" in the Explorer (works in VS Code, missing in Cursor as far as I can tell).
Environment
- Editor: Cursor (also reproduces in VS Code)
- OS: macOS
- Workspace type: multi-root
.code-workspace
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