Introduction

In development or usage scenarios for DeepSeek Harness (DSH), workspaces often contain many files. To inspect directory structures or file contents, developers frequently need to switch between the DSH Web interface and local file managers (Finder / File Explorer), which breaks the workflow. dsh-file-explorer-kit aims to resolve this pain point by allowing users to browse workspace directories and preview files directly in the DSH chat GUI.

What Is This

dsh-file-explorer-kit is a client-side plugin for DeepSeek Harness (DSH), published as a Cordis bundle. It integrates file browsing and preview into the conversation interface by registering a read-only /dsh-files route and a dedicated “Files” session tab. The plugin only provides browsing capability and does not perform any file modification operations.

Core Features

  1. Integrated Browsing Tab
    The plugin registers a third tab, “Files,” in the session interface, alongside “Chat” and “Trace.” The tab is registered through the conversation.view hook and automatically appears in the tab bar.

  2. Directory and File Preview
    Users can click a directory row to enter the next level, and click a file row to view its preview. The top toolbar provides breadcrumb navigation, a hidden-files toggle, a refresh button, and an absolute-path jump box for quick file location.

  3. Automatic Refresh
    The “Files” tab automatically refreshes while it remains open, capturing file contents written by the agent in the background in real time.

  4. Bilingual Support and Multi-Format Preview
    The interface supports automatic Chinese/English switching (manual switching is also available). The preview area is located on the right and supports rendering Markdown, images, plain text, and embedded PDFs. For binary files, the system provides actions to “Copy path” and “Open in file manager”.

Installation and Enablement

Before installing, ensure the environment meets the requirements: DSH version ≥ 0.1.1-rc.2 and Node.js 20+.

dsh plugin --profile web add dsh-file-explorer-kit

After installation, there is no need to restart the DSH process. Simply open any session in the Web interface to see the new “Files” tab.

Typical Usage

  1. Open any DSH session. The top of the interface should display three tabs: Chat | Trace | Files.
  2. Click the “Files” tab. The main page area displays the directory structure of the current session workspace.
  3. Use the mouse to click a directory to enter a subdirectory, or click a file to view its preview on the right.
  4. If you need to jump to a specific path, enter an absolute path in the top toolbar input box and confirm.
  5. When previewing Markdown or text files, you can switch between “Preview” and “Raw” mode; when viewing binary files, use the right-side action bar to copy the path or open the file manager.

Use Cases and Notes

  • Use Cases: Developers who need to inspect project structures frequently, check code or documents generated by agents, and want to avoid switching back and forth between an IDE and a browser.
  • Security and Permissions: This plugin is entirely based on a read-only route and does not modify any files. It operates using a host trust gating mechanism: loopback address requests pass through directly, while non-loopback address requests require a same-origin marker. This aligns with the default binding behavior of the official DSH Web server.
  • Compatibility: This plugin is compatible with dsh-workspace-kit, and both can be enabled at the same time.

Conclusion

dsh-file-explorer-kit enhances the local development experience in DSH by integrating file browsing. For users who are accustomed to handling workflows in DSH, it is a practical tool for improving efficiency. For more details, refer to the plugin repository or directory page.