Basic Features

Sidian combines the familiar VS Code interface with powerful AI capabilities. This guide covers the essential features that make Sidian a powerful development environment.

File Management

File Explorer

• Project navigation: Browse your project structure in the sidebar
• File operations: Create, rename, delete, and move files
• Search files: Quickly find files with Ctrl+P
• Recent files: Access recently opened files
• File watching: Automatic updates when files change externally

Multi-file Editing

• Split editor: Work with multiple files side by side
• Tab management: Organize open files with tabs
• Tab groups: Create separate tab groups for better organization
• Preview mode: Single-click to preview files without opening
• Pinned tabs: Keep important files always visible

Code Editing

Syntax Highlighting

• Language support: Automatic detection and highlighting for 100+ languages
• Custom themes: Choose from built-in themes or install custom ones
• Semantic highlighting: Advanced highlighting based on code meaning
• Bracket matching: Visual matching of brackets and parentheses

IntelliSense

• Auto-completion: Smart code completion as you type
• Parameter hints: Function parameter information
• Quick info: Hover for documentation and type information
• Error squiggles: Real-time error detection and highlighting

Code Navigation

• Go to definition: Jump to symbol definitions (F12)
• Find references: See all references to a symbol
• Symbol search: Navigate to functions, classes, and variables
• Breadcrumbs: Navigate file structure at the top of editor

Search and Replace

Find and Replace

• Current file: Find and replace in active file (Ctrl+F, Ctrl+H)
• All files: Search across entire project (Ctrl+Shift+F)
• Regular expressions: Use regex patterns for advanced search
• Case sensitivity: Toggle case-sensitive search
• Whole word: Match whole words only

Advanced Search

• Include/exclude: Filter search by file types and folders
• Search history: Access previous search queries
• Replace preview: Preview changes before applying
• Multi-line search: Search across multiple lines

Version Control (Git)

Git Integration

• Status indicators: See file changes in explorer and editor
• Source control panel: Manage commits, branches, and changes
• Diff viewer: Compare file versions side by side
• Blame annotations: See who changed each line of code

Git Operations

• Stage changes: Select which changes to commit
• Commit: Create commits with messages
• Branch management: Create, switch, and merge branches
• Push/pull: Sync with remote repositories
• Conflict resolution: Resolve merge conflicts visually

Integrated Terminal

Terminal Features

• Multiple terminals: Create and manage multiple terminal instances
• Shell integration: Works with bash, zsh, PowerShell, and more
• Split terminals: Divide terminal space for multiple sessions
• Terminal tabs: Organize terminals with tabs

Terminal Operations

• Run commands: Execute build scripts and development tools
• Environment variables: Access project-specific environment
• Working directory: Automatically set to project root
• Copy/paste: Easy text operations between editor and terminal

Extensions and Customization

Extension Marketplace

• Browse extensions: Discover extensions for languages and tools
• Install extensions: One-click installation from marketplace
• Manage extensions: Enable, disable, and configure extensions
• Extension recommendations: Get suggestions based on your project

Customization Options

• Settings: Customize editor behavior and appearance
• Keybindings: Modify keyboard shortcuts
• Snippets: Create custom code snippets
• Tasks: Configure build and development tasks

Debugging

Debug Features

• Breakpoints: Set breakpoints to pause execution
• Variable inspection: Examine variable values during debugging
• Call stack: Navigate the execution call stack
• Watch expressions: Monitor specific expressions

Debug Configuration

• Launch configurations: Set up debugging for different scenarios
• Attach to process: Debug running applications
• Remote debugging: Debug applications on remote servers
• Multi-target debugging: Debug multiple processes simultaneously

Workspace Management

Workspace Features

• Multi-root workspaces: Work with multiple project folders
• Workspace settings: Project-specific configuration
• Workspace recommendations: Suggested extensions for the project
• Workspace trust: Security model for untrusted code

Project Organization

• Folder structure: Organize code with logical folder hierarchy
• File associations: Configure file type associations
• Exclude patterns: Hide files and folders from explorer
• Search scope: Limit search to specific folders

Performance Features

Optimization

• Large file handling: Efficient editing of large files
• Memory management: Optimized memory usage for large projects
• Background processing: Non-blocking operations
• Incremental compilation: Fast feedback for supported languages

Monitoring

• Performance metrics: Monitor editor performance
• Extension impact: See which extensions affect performance
• Memory usage: Track memory consumption
• Startup time: Optimize editor startup performance

Accessibility

Accessibility Features

• Screen reader support: Full compatibility with screen readers
• High contrast themes: Themes optimized for visual accessibility
• Keyboard navigation: Complete keyboard-only navigation
• Font scaling: Adjustable font sizes for better readability

Customization for Accessibility

• Color customization: Adjust colors for color blindness
• Motion reduction: Reduce animations and transitions
• Focus indicators: Clear visual focus indicators
• Audio cues: Optional audio feedback for actions

These basic features form the foundation of your Sidian development experience. Master these fundamentals before exploring advanced AI features and customizations.