Symbol Navigate Back

Jump back from "Go to Definition" (F12)

This extension provides alternative commands for symbol navigation commands such as Go to Definition (F12), Go to Implementation (Ctrl+F12) , and Go to References (Shift+F12).

The alternative commands save the current cursor position (add it to the internal stack) and then call the original command to jump. You can return directly to the original position regardless of cursor movement or editing at the jump destination.

Example: Go to definition (F12), PageDown several times, and then go back

About built-in "Go Back"

You can also use VSCode built-in Go Back command (default keymap: Alt+Left / Ctrl+-) to return to the original position. However, depending on cursor move operations at the jump destination (Searching, scrolling by PageUp / PageDown, etc), the cursor position will be added to the history, so you may need to Go Back many times.

How to Use

Copy and paste the following settings into your keybindings.json. These settings override default keymaps, and add keymaps for commands which have no default keymaps. Change the key assignments as needed.

This allows you to go back directly to the original position with Alt+[ (macOS: Option+[) after jumping with symbol navigation commands (Go to Definition (F12), Go to Implementation (Ctrl+F12), etc).

{
	"key": "f12",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.revealDefinition",
	"when": "editorHasDefinitionProvider && editorTextFocus && !isInEmbeddedEditor"
},
{
	"key": "ctrl+alt+f12",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.revealDeclaration",
	"when": "editorHasDeclarationProvider && editorTextFocus && !isInEmbeddedEditor"
},
{
	"key": "ctrl+shift+alt+f12",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.goToTypeDefinition",
	"when": "editorHasImplementationProvider && editorTextFocus && !isInEmbeddedEditor"
},
{
	"key": "ctrl+f12",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.goToImplementation",
	"when": "editorHasImplementationProvider && editorTextFocus && !isInEmbeddedEditor"
},
{
	"key": "shift+f12",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.goToReferences",
	"when": "editorHasReferenceProvider && editorTextFocus && !inReferenceSearchEditor && !isInEmbeddedEditor"
},
{
	"key": "ctrl+t",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.executeCommand",
	"args": "workbench.action.showAllSymbols"
},
{
	"key": "alt+[",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.navigateBack"
},
{
	"key": "alt+]",
	"command": "symbolNavigateBack.navigateForward"
},

Features

This extension contributes the following commands. You need to remap default keys or assign new keymaps as above to use these commands.

• Symbol Navigate Back: Go to Definition - Save the current position, then call built-in Go to Definition
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go to Declaration - Save the current position, then call built-in Go to Declaration
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go to Type Definition - Save the current position, then call built-in Go to Type Definition
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go to Implementations - Save the current position, then call built-in Go to Implementations
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go to References - Save the current position, then call built-in Go to References
• Symbol Navigate Back: Execute Command - Save the current position, then execute the command with the command ID specified by the keymap argument (See ctrl+t setting above)
• Symbol Navigate Back: Save Current Position - Save the current position only, do nothing more
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go Back - Jump back to the previously saved position
• Symbol Navigate Back: Go Forward - Jump forward to the next position in this extension's stack