Integrate jupyterlab-unfold into JupyterLab core

[JasonWeill]

This is related to jupyterlab/jupyterlab#5526, as discussed at the 2024-09-04 Jupyter frontends meeting.

Several JupyterLab users have expressed a desire to have a file browser with expandable folders in the left panel, for feature parity with other IDEs, such as Visual Studio Code. Would it be possible to merge this extension into JupyterLab core, replacing the behavior of the standard filebrowser, which displays one folder at a time?

[martinRenou]

Thanks for your suggestion!

replacing the behavior of the standard filebrowser

Even though I would be 👍🏽 for this myself, I believe this may be too much of an opinionated change that some users may not like.

We could make it configurable though, to be able to switch easily between one or the other?

[JasonWeill]

I'm OK with making it configurable; hopefully, a configuration option won't introduce too much added complexity.

[jtpio]

Being able to use both would be great. Adding jupyterlab-unfold to core lab for 4.4.0 would make a nice feature.

Also some users might still prefer the current lab file browser, for example in the case of Notebook.

[jtpio]

FYI I've added jupyterlab/jupyterlab#5526 to the 4.4.0 milestone, so we have it on the radar.

[psychemedia]

+1 on having this available as part of core, with a user preference for selecting which view is offered (the current file listing view is no less opinionated...).

In an education setting, novices don't necessarily have an understanding of file paths, and being able to have a global view of the directory structure can save them from losing track of where files are. (That said, the current directory view has the benefit of "if you can't see it, you'll need a path in your code to locate it" if the directory view follows the home of the selected notebook)