diff --git a/texedit/gui/command_ids.hpp b/texedit/gui/command_ids.hpp
index dd43b7e..9d75d1a 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/command_ids.hpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/command_ids.hpp
@@ -11,13 +11,15 @@
 
 namespace te::gui::cmds {
     enum {
-        Menu_URLSourcePage = 101,
+        Menu_URLSourcePage = 501,
         Menu_URLFeatureRequest,
         Menu_URLBugReport,
         Menu_URLUserManual,
         Menu_PaneExplorer,
         Menu_PaneOutput,
         Menu_PanePreview,
+        Menu_OpenFolder,
+        Button_OpenFolder,
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/editor_pane.cpp b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/editor_pane.cpp
index 3af4284..088c416 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/editor_pane.cpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/editor_pane.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "editor_pane.hpp"
 
 namespace te::gui {
-    EditorPane::EditorPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase(parent) {
+    EditorPane::EditorPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase{parent} {
         _stc = new wxStyledTextCtrl(this, wxID_ANY);
 
         _sizer = new wxBoxSizer(wxVERTICAL);
diff --git a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.cpp b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.cpp
index c4a59dd..4c988fd 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.cpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.cpp
@@ -7,12 +7,45 @@
 
 #include "explorer_pane.hpp"
 
+#include "gui/command_ids.hpp"
+
 namespace te::gui {
-    ExplorerPane::ExplorerPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase(parent) {
-        _dirctl = new wxGenericDirCtrl(this, wxID_ANY);
+    LocalDirCtrl::LocalDirCtrl(wxWindow *parent, const wxString &root, wxWindowID id) : _root{root} {
+        Init();
+        Create(parent, id);
+    }
+
+    void LocalDirCtrl::SetupSections() {
+        AddSection(_root, wxFileNameFromPath(_root), wxFileIconsTable::folder_open);
 
+        ExpandPath(_root);
+    }
+
+    ExplorerPane::ExplorerPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase(parent) {
         _sizer = new wxBoxSizer(wxVERTICAL);
-        _sizer->Add(_dirctl, 1, wxEXPAND);
         SetSizer(_sizer);
+
+        AddEmptyTreeButton();
+    }
+
+    void ExplorerPane::ChangeRootDir(const wxString &path) {
+        _sizer->Clear();
+
+        // destroy and recreate the dirctrl
+        if (_dirctrl) {
+            _sizer->Detach(_dirctrl);
+            _dirctrl->Destroy();
+        }
+        _dirctrl = new LocalDirCtrl(this, path, wxID_ANY);
+        _sizer->Add(_dirctrl, 1, wxEXPAND);
+    }
+
+    void ExplorerPane::AddEmptyTreeButton() {
+        _sizer->Clear();
+
+        _empty_tree_btn = new wxButton(this, cmds::Button_OpenFolder, "Open a folder");
+        _empty_tree_stretch_spacer[0] = _sizer->AddStretchSpacer();
+        _sizer->Add(_empty_tree_btn, 0, wxALIGN_CENTER);
+        _empty_tree_stretch_spacer[1] = _sizer->AddStretchSpacer();
     }
 }
diff --git a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.hpp b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.hpp
index f2f0432..63158ea 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.hpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/explorer_pane.hpp
@@ -14,13 +14,32 @@
 #include "pane_base.hpp"
 
 namespace te::gui {
+    // An implementation of wxGenericDirCtrl that is local to a specified directory, as opposed to listing the entire filesystem
+    class LocalDirCtrl : public wxGenericDirCtrl {
+    public:
+        LocalDirCtrl(wxWindow *parent, const wxString &root, wxWindowID id = wxID_ANY);
+
+        void SetupSections() override;
+
+    private:
+        wxString _root;
+    };
+
     class ExplorerPane : public PaneBase {
     public:
         ExplorerPane(wxWindow *parent);
 
+        inline LocalDirCtrl *GetDirCtrl() const { return _dirctrl; }
+
+        void ChangeRootDir(const wxString &path);
+
     private:
+        wxSizerItem *_empty_tree_stretch_spacer[2];
+        wxButton *_empty_tree_btn;
+        void AddEmptyTreeButton();
+
         wxBoxSizer *_sizer;
-        wxGenericDirCtrl *_dirctl;
+        LocalDirCtrl *_dirctrl{nullptr};
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/output_pane.cpp b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/output_pane.cpp
index e4d4141..eb6b9c1 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/output_pane.cpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/output_pane.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "output_pane.hpp"
 
 namespace te::gui {
-    OutputPane::OutputPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase(parent) {
+    OutputPane::OutputPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase{parent} {
         _listbox = new wxListBox(this, wxID_ANY);
 
         _sizer = new wxBoxSizer(wxVERTICAL);
diff --git a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/preview_pane.cpp b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/preview_pane.cpp
index 69b8051..5b818c9 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/layout/panes/preview_pane.cpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/layout/panes/preview_pane.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "preview_pane.hpp"
 
 namespace te::gui {
-    PreviewPane::PreviewPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase(parent) {
+    PreviewPane::PreviewPane(wxWindow *parent) : PaneBase{parent} {
         wxString pdf;
         _webView = wxWebView::New(this, wxID_ANY);
 
diff --git a/texedit/gui/main_frame.cpp b/texedit/gui/main_frame.cpp
index cbbcf24..47f6381 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/main_frame.cpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/main_frame.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "main_frame.hpp"
 
+#include "layout/panes/explorer_pane.hpp"
 #include "layout/panes/output_pane.hpp"
 #include "layout/panes/preview_pane.hpp"
 #include "process/services/compiler_process.hpp"
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "prog_info.hpp"
 
 #include <wx/aboutdlg.h>
+#include <wx/generic/dirctrlg.h>
 #include <wx/splitter.h>
 
 namespace te::gui {
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ namespace te::gui {
         wxMenuBar *menuBar = new wxMenuBar();
 
         wxMenu *fileMenu = new wxMenu();
+        fileMenu->Append(cmds::Menu_OpenFolder, "O&pen Folder...");
         fileMenu->Append(wxID_EXIT, "&Quit");
         menuBar->Append(fileMenu, "&File");
 
@@ -65,6 +68,12 @@ namespace te::gui {
         SetMenuBar(menuBar);
     }
 
+    void MainFrame::ShowURL(const wxString &url) {
+        if (!wxLaunchDefaultBrowser(url)) {
+            wxLogError("Failed to open URL \"%s\"", url);
+        }
+    }
+
     void MainFrame::OnIdle(wxIdleEvent &ev) {
         wxString sc = _compiler_proc->ReadLineStdout();
         if (!sc.IsEmpty()) {
@@ -77,10 +86,20 @@ namespace te::gui {
         }
     }
 
-    void MainFrame::ShowURL(const wxString &url) {
-        if (!wxLaunchDefaultBrowser(url)) {
-            wxLogError("Failed to open URL \"%s\"", url);
+    void MainFrame::OnDirCtrlFileActivated(wxTreeEvent &event) {
+        wxGenericDirCtrl dirctrl = _layout.GetExplorerPane()->GetDirCtrl();
+
+        wxLogMessage("%s", dirctrl.GetPath(event.GetItem()));
+    }
+
+    void MainFrame::OnButtonOpenFolder(wxCommandEvent &event) {
+        wxDirDialog dlg(this, "Choose a workspace directory", "", wxDD_DEFAULT_STYLE | wxDD_DIR_MUST_EXIST);
+
+        if (dlg.ShowModal() == wxID_CANCEL) {
+            return;
         }
+
+        _layout.GetExplorerPane()->ChangeRootDir(dlg.GetPath());
     }
 
     void MainFrame::OnMenuAbout(wxCommandEvent &event) {
@@ -120,6 +139,11 @@ namespace te::gui {
 
     wxBEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(MainFrame, wxFrame)
         EVT_IDLE(MainFrame::OnIdle)
+
+        EVT_DIRCTRL_FILEACTIVATED(wxID_ANY, MainFrame::OnDirCtrlFileActivated)
+        EVT_BUTTON(cmds::Button_OpenFolder, MainFrame::OnButtonOpenFolder)
+        EVT_MENU(cmds::Menu_OpenFolder,     MainFrame::OnButtonOpenFolder)
+
         EVT_MENU(wxID_EXIT,  MainFrame::OnMenuQuit)
         EVT_MENU(wxID_ABOUT, MainFrame::OnMenuAbout)
         EVT_MENU(cmds::Menu_URLSourcePage,      MainFrame::OnMenuURLSourcePage)
diff --git a/texedit/gui/main_frame.hpp b/texedit/gui/main_frame.hpp
index 69c8bfe..18d3b8c 100644
--- a/texedit/gui/main_frame.hpp
+++ b/texedit/gui/main_frame.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #define __texedit__root_frame_hpp__
 
 #include <wx/wx.h>
+#include <wx/treebase.h>
 
 #include "process/process_manager.hpp"
 #include "process/services/compiler_process.hpp"
@@ -33,10 +34,12 @@ namespace te::gui {
 
         void BuildMenuBar();
 
-        void OnIdle(wxIdleEvent &ev);
-
         void ShowURL(const wxString &url);
 
+        void OnIdle(wxIdleEvent &ev);
+        void OnDirCtrlFileActivated(wxTreeEvent &event);
+        void OnButtonOpenFolder(wxCommandEvent &event);
+
         void OnMenuAbout(wxCommandEvent &event);
         void OnMenuQuit(wxCommandEvent &event);
         void OnMenuURLSourcePage(wxCommandEvent &event);
diff --git a/texedit/util/resources.cpp b/texedit/util/resources.cpp
index a31a58d..7354304 100644
--- a/texedit/util/resources.cpp
+++ b/texedit/util/resources.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "resources.hpp"
 
 #include <wx/filename.h>
+#include <wx/dir.h>
 #include <wx/stdpaths.h>
 
 namespace te::util {
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ namespace te::util {
         return f.GetPath();
     }
 
-    wxString RelToExec(std::vector<wxString> dirs, wxString filename) {
+    wxString RelToExec(const std::vector<wxString> &dirs, const wxString &filename) {
         wxFileName f = wxFileName::DirName(GetTexeditDir());
         for (auto d : dirs) {
             f.AppendDir(d);
@@ -27,11 +28,11 @@ namespace te::util {
                filename;
     }
 
-    wxString RelToExec(wxString filename) {
+    wxString RelToExec(const wxString &filename) {
         return RelToExec({}, filename);
     }
 
-    bool ValidateExecutable(wxString path) {
+    bool ValidateExecutable(const wxString &path) {
         wxFileName f{path};
         return f.FileExists() && f.IsFileExecutable();
     }
diff --git a/texedit/util/resources.hpp b/texedit/util/resources.hpp
index b02ab9f..44ddd13 100644
--- a/texedit/util/resources.hpp
+++ b/texedit/util/resources.hpp
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@
 namespace te::util {
     wxString GetTexeditDir();
 
-    wxString RelToExec(std::vector<wxString> dirs, wxString filename);
-    wxString RelToExec(wxString filename);
+    wxString RelToExec(const std::vector<wxString> &dirs, const wxString &filename);
+    wxString RelToExec(const wxString &filename);
 
-    bool ValidateExecutable(wxString path);
+    bool ValidateExecutable(const wxString &path);
 }
 
 #endif