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Visual Studio Code Outline should indicate public, protected, private, and package-private methods when viewing a Java document. #1544
Description
This is a feature request.
I don't know if this requires upstream support from Visual Studio Code itself. Currently, when viewing the Outline in Visual Studio Code, there are no indications suggesting the methods is public, protected, private, or package-private. In other words, it is difficult to differentiate the method accessors by type just by viewing the Outline. You can see the Visual Studio Code screenshot below, and try to find which one of them is not private:
In Eclipse, they have different icon colors to indicate the different method accessors.
It would be nice to see them, so it's easier to find and discover which methods are available from the Outline.
Environment
- Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS
- JDK version: OpenJavaSDK 1.8 (on maintenance mode at work)
- Visual Studio Code version: 1.47.2
- Java extension version: 0.64.1
Current Result
Not easy to differentiate the method's accessor levels (public, protected, private, package-private) in the Outline.
Expected Result
Something along the lines of being able to differentiate the methods in the Outline.
Activity
akaroml commentedon Jul 29, 2020
The Outline view visualizes Document Symbols, which do not have accessor info today. For this to happen, vscode needs to change its protocols.
Instead, you could use the
JAVA DEPENDENCIESview provided by Java Dependency Viewer extension.tommai78101 commentedon Jul 29, 2020
Ok, so it really is an issue that requires upstream support. I'll post there and ask for document symbols protocols support, otherwise it really would be nice to have this. Do you know of any prior issues on Visual Studio Code that is related to this, so I can make sure not to report any duplicates?
This is the only issue thus far I found to be somewhat relevant:
microsoft/vscode#97095
sandipchitale commentedon May 4, 2021
Also support static indicator icon.
mitonize commentedon Oct 9, 2022
These issues are also relevant.
microsoft/language-server-protocol#98
microsoft/vscode#23927
korolserhii commentedon Oct 27, 2026
Until the Outline itself can show modifiers (see above), I made a small extension that does it in a separate panel next to Outline: Java Member Visibility
Each method and field is marked
+public,#protected,~package-private or−private, with static / final shown too. First version — feedback welcome.Same class in both panels — in Outline you can't tell which members are private, in Java Members you see it at a glance:
anar-ibragimoff commentedon Oct 28, 2026
Finally someone did it! Love it!
Note: your github has no public repositories - can't find where to post feature requests.