What is File Icons for GitHub and GitLab?
File Icons for GitHub and GitLab is a lightweight browser extension that transforms plain text file lists into visually rich, color-coded icon displays. With over 200,000 active users and a 4.7/5 rating, it solves a fundamental usability problem: navigating GitHub and GitLab repositories where every file looks identical except for its extension. The extension adds 300+ distinct icons based on file type, language, and purpose - making it instantly clear which files are JavaScript, Python, configs, images, or documentation.
The extension works automatically on all GitHub and GitLab pages including repository file browsers, pull request file lists, commit diffs, and search results. When you view a repository, file icons appear immediately alongside each filename - a blue JavaScript icon for .js files, a green Python snake for .py, a red gear for package.json, an orange flame for .env files. No clicking, no configuration, no manual setup. The icons use familiar visual language from VS Code's file-icons theme, so developers instantly recognize file types they work with daily.
What makes File Icons particularly valuable is its comprehensive coverage. Beyond mainstream languages like JavaScript, Python, Java, and Go, the extension recognizes 300+ file types including framework-specific files (Next.js, Django, Rails), config formats (YAML, TOML, JSON), CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI), infrastructure files (Dockerfile, Terraform, Kubernetes), documentation (Markdown, AsciiDoc), and specialized formats (Jupyter notebooks, GraphQL schemas, Protocol Buffers). Each icon is color-coded by category - configs are red/orange, languages are blue/green, docs are gray/white - creating visual patterns that help you navigate repositories 30-50% faster.
The extension integrates seamlessly with GitHub's existing UI without breaking functionality. Icons appear left of filenames, folders retain their folder icons, and all GitHub features (search, blame, history, downloads) work normally. File Icons also works on GitHub Enterprise, private repositories, and Gists - the extension operates entirely client-side without accessing your code or making external API calls. For developers who browse repositories daily, File Icons transforms GitHub from a text-heavy interface into a visually scannable, intuitive code browser that reduces cognitive load and speeds up navigation.
Key Features
300+ File Type Icons
Comprehensive icon set covering programming languages (.js/.py/.java/.rs), frameworks (React/Vue/Django), configs (.json/.yml/.toml), images (.png/.svg/.gif), docs (.md/.pdf/.txt), and specialized files (Dockerfile, .gitignore, LICENSE). Each file type gets a unique, recognizable icon based on VS Code's file-icons theme for consistency across tools.
Color-Coded Categories
Icons use consistent color schemes by category: programming languages (blue/green), config files (red/orange), documentation (gray/white), images (multicolor), build tools (yellow/brown). This visual color coding lets you scan repositories at a glance - configs cluster together visually, source files stand out, docs are instantly identifiable.
Instant Recognition
Icons appear immediately on all GitHub/GitLab pages: repository file browsers, pull request file lists, commit diffs, search results, and file history views. No page refresh needed - icons inject dynamically as pages load. Navigate 30-50% faster by recognizing file types visually instead of reading extensions character-by-character.
Works on Private Repos
Fully compatible with private repositories, GitHub Enterprise, and GitLab self-hosted instances. The extension operates entirely client-side (in your browser) without accessing repository data or making external API calls. Your code remains private and secure - File Icons never sees, stores, or transmits repository content.
Framework-Specific Icons
Specialized icons for framework files like next.config.js (Next.js), django.settings.py (Django), Gemfile (Rails), Cargo.toml (Rust), go.mod (Go modules), tsconfig.json (TypeScript), webpack.config.js (Webpack), and hundreds more. Instantly spot critical framework files without reading filenames fully.
Zero Configuration
Install and forget - no settings, no setup, no customization needed. Icons appear automatically on every GitHub/GitLab page you visit. The extension is invisible until you need it, then it quietly makes repositories more navigable. Uses <2MB memory and adds <50ms to page load times - essentially zero performance impact.
How to Install File Icons in Atlas Browser
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Visit Chrome Web Store
Navigate to the File Icons for GitHub and GitLab page in Chrome Web Store (Atlas Browser is fully compatible with Chrome extensions).
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Click "Add to Chrome"
Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button in the top-right corner. A confirmation dialog will appear asking for permission to access GitHub.com and GitLab.com (required to inject icons).
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Confirm Installation
Click "Add extension" to confirm. File Icons installs in 2-3 seconds and immediately activates on all GitHub and GitLab pages.
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Visit Any Repository
Open any GitHub or GitLab repository. File icons appear instantly alongside filenames - JavaScript files show blue JS icons, Python files show green Python snakes, configs show red gears. No page refresh needed.
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Enjoy Visual Navigation
Icons appear on all GitHub/GitLab pages: repository browsers, pull request file lists, commit diffs, search results, and Gists. Navigate repositories faster with visual file type recognition - no configuration or manual work required!
Who Should Use File Icons for GitHub?
👨💻 Full-Stack Developers
Navigate complex repositories with mixed file types (frontend/backend/config/docs) faster by spotting React components, Python APIs, Docker configs, and Markdown docs visually. Reduce mental load when switching between languages and frameworks daily.
🔍 Code Reviewers
Review pull requests more efficiently when file icons show at a glance which files are tests (.test.js), configs (.env, .yml), migrations (.sql), or documentation (.md). Prioritize review order based on visual file type clustering.
🆕 New Project Contributors
Understand unfamiliar repository structure faster by visually identifying file types and categories. Spot entry points (index.js, main.py), configs (package.json, requirements.txt), and docs (README.md) without reading every filename character-by-character.
📚 Open Source Maintainers
Manage large repositories with hundreds of files by quickly locating specific file types. Find all YAML configs, TypeScript definition files, or CI/CD pipelines visually. Triage issues faster when contributors reference files you can instantly recognize by icon.
🎨 Frontend Developers
Navigate component-heavy repositories (React, Vue, Angular) where every file is .jsx/.tsx/.vue. Icons differentiate components, styles (.css/.scss), tests (.spec.js), and configs (.eslintrc, webpack.config.js) at a glance.
🏗️ DevOps Engineers
Quickly locate infrastructure files in repositories: Dockerfiles, Terraform .tf files, Kubernetes .yaml manifests, CI/CD configs (.github/workflows, .gitlab-ci.yml). Visual icons make infrastructure code stand out from application code instantly.
File Icons vs. GitHub Default vs. Other Icon Extensions
| Feature | File Icons | GitHub Default | Octotree (paid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icon Count | ✅ 300+ file types | ⚠️ Generic file icon only | ✅ Similar coverage |
| Color Coding | ✅ Category-based colors | ❌ No colors (gray icons) | ✅ Color-coded |
| GitLab Support | ✅ Full GitLab support | ❌ GitHub only | ⚠️ GitLab in Pro plan |
| Pull Request Files | ✅ Icons in PR file lists | ❌ No icons in PRs | ✅ Icons in PRs |
| Performance Impact | ✅ <50ms page load | ✅ Native (0ms) | ⚠️ +100-200ms (sidebar) |
| Configuration | ✅ Zero config | ✅ Native | ⚠️ Requires setup |
| Price | 💰 100% Free | 💰 Free (native) | 💰 $7-15/month |
File Icons provides the best value for icon-only functionality - 300+ file types, color coding, and GitLab support for free. GitHub's default interface lacks visual icons entirely. Octotree offers icons plus a code tree sidebar, but costs $7-15/month and adds more page load time. For developers who just want better file recognition, File Icons is the lightweight, free solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What file types does File Icons support?
File Icons supports 300+ file types including programming languages (.js, .py, .java, .go, .rs), config files (.json, .yml, .toml, .env), web files (.html, .css, .scss), images (.png, .svg, .jpg), documents (.md, .pdf, .txt), and specialized files (.dockerfile, .gitignore, package.json). Each type gets a unique, color-coded icon based on file extension or filename. The icon set is based on VS Code's file-icons theme for consistency across development tools.
Does File Icons work on private GitHub repositories?
Yes, File Icons works on all GitHub repositories - public, private, and enterprise GitHub. The extension injects icons client-side (in your browser) without accessing repository data or making external API calls. Your code remains private and secure. The extension also works on GitHub Gists, pull request file views, and commit diffs. No repository content is ever transmitted to external servers.
Can I customize which icons are shown or their appearance?
File Icons uses a curated icon set based on VS Code's file-icons theme for consistency. The extension doesn't currently support custom icons or color schemes - it's designed as a zero-configuration install. However, you can disable the extension temporarily via the browser toolbar if you prefer GitHub's default file list for specific tasks. The extension is open source, so advanced users can fork and modify the icon mappings if needed.
Does File Icons slow down GitHub page loads?
No, File Icons has minimal performance impact. The extension uses efficient DOM injection and caches icon SVGs to avoid repeated network requests. Most users report no noticeable slowdown - GitHub pages load at normal speed with icons appearing instantly. The extension uses <2MB memory and adds <50ms to initial repository page load times. Performance is optimized for repositories with hundreds of files.
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