diff --git a/src/app/App.tsx b/src/app/App.tsx
index 6a941a79..64445183 100644
--- a/src/app/App.tsx
+++ b/src/app/App.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-// Copyright (c) 2020-2021 The Pybricks Authors
+// Copyright (c) 2020-2022 The Pybricks Authors
 
 import { Classes } from '@blueprintjs/core';
 import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import { useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
 import SplitterLayout from 'react-splitter-layout';
 import Editor, { EditorContext, EditorContextType, EditorType } from '../editor/Editor';
+import Explorer from '../explorer/Explorer';
 import { useSelector } from '../reducers';
 import { toggleBoolean } from '../settings/actions';
 import { BooleanSettingId } from '../settings/defaults';
@@ -176,21 +177,31 @@ const App: React.VoidFunctionComponent<AppProps> = (props) => {
                         localStorage.setItem('app-docs-split', String(value))
                     }
                 >
-                    <SplitterLayout
-                        vertical={true}
-                        percentage={true}
-                        secondaryInitialSize={Number(
-                            localStorage.getItem('app-terminal-split') || 30,
-                        )}
-                        onSecondaryPaneSizeChange={(value): void =>
-                            localStorage.setItem('app-terminal-split', String(value))
-                        }
-                    >
-                        <Editor />
-                        <div className="pb-app-terminal-padding h-100">
-                            <Terminal />
+                    <div className="h-100 w-100" style={{ display: 'flex' }}>
+                        <div style={{ display: 'inline-block', width: 250 }}>
+                            <Explorer />
                         </div>
-                    </SplitterLayout>
+                        <div style={{ display: 'inline-block' }}>
+                            <SplitterLayout
+                                vertical={true}
+                                percentage={true}
+                                secondaryInitialSize={Number(
+                                    localStorage.getItem('app-terminal-split') || 30,
+                                )}
+                                onSecondaryPaneSizeChange={(value): void =>
+                                    localStorage.setItem(
+                                        'app-terminal-split',
+                                        String(value),
+                                    )
+                                }
+                            >
+                                <Editor />
+                                <div className="pb-app-terminal-padding h-100">
+                                    <Terminal />
+                                </div>
+                            </SplitterLayout>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
                     <div className="h-100 w-100">
                         {isDragging && <div className="h-100 w-100 p-absolute" />}
                         <Docs />
diff --git a/src/explorer/Explorer.test.tsx b/src/explorer/Explorer.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c95dcbcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/explorer/Explorer.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// Copyright (c) 2022 The Pybricks Authors
+
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import React from 'react';
+import { testRender } from '../../test';
+import Explorer from './Explorer';
+
+describe('archive button', () => {
+    it('should be enabled if there are files', () => {
+        const explorer = testRender(<Explorer />, {
+            fileStorage: { fileNames: ['test.file'] },
+        });
+
+        expect(explorer.getByTitle('Backup all files')).toBeEnabled();
+    });
+
+    it('should be disabled if there are no files', () => {
+        const explorer = testRender(<Explorer />, {
+            fileStorage: { fileNames: [] },
+        });
+
+        expect(explorer.getByTitle('Backup all files')).toBeDisabled();
+    });
+});
+
+describe('list item', () => {
+    it('should show/hide buttons on hover', () => {
+        const explorer = testRender(<Explorer />, {
+            fileStorage: { fileNames: ['test.file'] },
+        });
+
+        const button = explorer.getByTitle('Rename test.file');
+
+        // by default, the buttons are hidden
+        expect(button).not.toBeVisible();
+
+        // but are visible when hovered
+        userEvent.hover(button);
+        expect(button).toBeVisible();
+
+        // and hide again when unhovered
+        userEvent.unhover(button);
+        expect(button).not.toBeVisible();
+    });
+
+    it('should not focus buttons on click', () => {
+        const explorer = testRender(<Explorer />, {
+            fileStorage: { fileNames: ['test.file'] },
+        });
+
+        const button = explorer.getByTitle('Rename test.file');
+
+        userEvent.click(button);
+        expect(button).not.toHaveFocus();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/explorer/Explorer.tsx b/src/explorer/Explorer.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca26d5a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/explorer/Explorer.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// Copyright (c) 2022 The Pybricks Authors
+
+// A file explorer control.
+
+import {
+    Button,
+    ButtonGroup,
+    Divider,
+    IconName,
+    Tree,
+    TreeNodeInfo,
+} from '@blueprintjs/core';
+import { useI18n } from '@shopify/react-i18n';
+import React, { forwardRef, useImperativeHandle, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
+import {
+    fileStorageArchiveAllFiles,
+    fileStorageExportFile,
+} from '../fileStorage/actions';
+import { useSelector } from '../reducers';
+import { ExplorerStringId } from './i18n';
+import en from './i18n.en.json';
+
+type ActionButtonProps = {
+    /** The icon to use for the button. */
+    icon: IconName;
+    /** The tooltip translation ID for the tooltip text. */
+    toolTipId: ExplorerStringId;
+    /** Replacements if required by `toolTipId` */
+    toolTipReplacements?: { [key: string]: string };
+    /** If provided, controls button disabled state. */
+    disabled?: boolean;
+    /** Callback for button click event. */
+    onClick: () => void;
+};
+
+const ActionButton: React.VoidFunctionComponent<ActionButtonProps> = (props) => {
+    const [i18n] = useI18n({ id: 'explorer', translations: { en }, fallback: en });
+
+    return (
+        <Button
+            icon={props.icon}
+            title={i18n.translate(props.toolTipId, props.toolTipReplacements)}
+            disabled={props.disabled}
+            // prevent focus on click
+            onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+            onClick={() => props.onClick()}
+        />
+    );
+};
+
+type FileActionButtonGroupRef = {
+    /** Sets button group internal visible state. */
+    setVisible: (visible: boolean) => void;
+};
+
+type ActionButtonGroupProps = {
+    /** The name of the file (displayed to user) */
+    fileName: string;
+};
+
+const FileActionButtonGroup = forwardRef<
+    FileActionButtonGroupRef,
+    ActionButtonGroupProps
+>((props, ref) => {
+    const dispatch = useDispatch();
+    const [visible, setVisible] = useState(false);
+
+    useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({ setVisible }));
+
+    return (
+        <ButtonGroup minimal={true} style={visible ? {} : { display: 'none' }}>
+            <ActionButton
+                icon="edit"
+                toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.TreeItemRenameTooltip}
+                toolTipReplacements={{ fileName: props.fileName }}
+                onClick={() => alert('not implemented')}
+            />
+            <ActionButton
+                // NB: the "import" icon has an arrow pointing down, which is
+                // what we want here since import is analogous to download
+                // and it also matches the direction of the arrow on the
+                // archive icon which is also used to indicate an export/
+                // download operation
+                icon="import"
+                toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.TreeItemExportTooltip}
+                toolTipReplacements={{ fileName: props.fileName }}
+                onClick={() => dispatch(fileStorageExportFile(props.fileName))}
+            />
+            <ActionButton
+                icon="trash"
+                toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.TreeItemDeleteTooltip}
+                toolTipReplacements={{ fileName: props.fileName }}
+                onClick={() => alert('not implemented')}
+            />
+        </ButtonGroup>
+    );
+});
+
+FileActionButtonGroup.displayName = 'FileActionButtonGroup';
+
+const Header: React.VFC = () => {
+    const dispatch = useDispatch();
+    const fileNames = useSelector((s) => s.fileStorage.fileNames);
+
+    return (
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'flex-end' }}>
+            <ButtonGroup minimal={true}>
+                <ActionButton
+                    icon="archive"
+                    toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.HeaderExportAllTooltip}
+                    disabled={fileNames.length === 0}
+                    onClick={() => dispatch(fileStorageArchiveAllFiles())}
+                />
+                <ActionButton
+                    // NB: the "export" icon has an arrow pointing up, which is
+                    // what we want here since import is analogous to upload
+                    // even though this is the "import" action
+                    icon="export"
+                    toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.HeaderImportTooltip}
+                    onClick={() => alert('not implemented')}
+                />
+                <ActionButton
+                    icon="plus"
+                    toolTipId={ExplorerStringId.HeaderAddNewTooltip}
+                    onClick={() => alert('not implemented')}
+                />
+            </ButtonGroup>
+        </div>
+    );
+};
+
+const FileTree: React.VFC = () => {
+    const fileNames = useSelector((s) => s.fileStorage.fileNames);
+
+    const treeContents = useMemo(
+        () =>
+            [...fileNames].map<
+                TreeNodeInfo<{
+                    actionButtonGroupRef: React.RefObject<FileActionButtonGroupRef>;
+                }>
+            >((item, i) => {
+                const actionButtonGroupRef =
+                    React.createRef<FileActionButtonGroupRef>();
+
+                return {
+                    id: i,
+                    label: item,
+                    secondaryLabel: (
+                        <FileActionButtonGroup
+                            fileName={item}
+                            ref={actionButtonGroupRef}
+                        />
+                    ),
+                    nodeData: { actionButtonGroupRef },
+                };
+            }),
+        [fileNames],
+    );
+
+    return (
+        <Tree
+            contents={treeContents}
+            onNodeMouseEnter={(info) =>
+                info.nodeData?.actionButtonGroupRef.current?.setVisible(true)
+            }
+            onNodeMouseLeave={(info) =>
+                info.nodeData?.actionButtonGroupRef.current?.setVisible(false)
+            }
+        />
+    );
+};
+
+const Explorer: React.VFC = () => {
+    return (
+        <div className="h-100" onContextMenu={(e) => e.preventDefault()}>
+            <Header />
+            <Divider />
+            <FileTree />
+        </div>
+    );
+};
+
+export default Explorer;
diff --git a/src/explorer/i18n.en.json b/src/explorer/i18n.en.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ccd706f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/explorer/i18n.en.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+    "explorer": {
+        "header": {
+            "exportAllTooltip": "Backup all files",
+            "importTooltip": "Import a file",
+            "addNewTooltip": "Create a new file"
+        },
+        "treeItem": {
+            "deleteTooltip": "Delete {fileName}",
+            "exportTooltip": "Export {fileName}",
+            "renameTooltip": "Rename {fileName}"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/explorer/i18n.test.ts b/src/explorer/i18n.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad68f26f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/explorer/i18n.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// Copyright (c) 2022 The Pybricks Authors
+
+import { lookup } from '../../test';
+import { ExplorerStringId } from './i18n';
+import en from './i18n.en.json';
+
+describe('Ensure .json file has matches for ExplorerStringId', () => {
+    test.each(Object.values(ExplorerStringId))('%s', (id) => {
+        expect(lookup(en, id)).toBeDefined();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/explorer/i18n.ts b/src/explorer/i18n.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a3502db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/explorer/i18n.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// Copyright (c) 2022 The Pybricks Authors
+//
+// Explorer translation keys.
+
+export enum ExplorerStringId {
+    HeaderExportAllTooltip = 'explorer.header.exportAllTooltip',
+    HeaderImportTooltip = 'explorer.header.importTooltip',
+    HeaderAddNewTooltip = 'explorer.header.addNewTooltip',
+    TreeItemDeleteTooltip = 'explorer.treeItem.deleteTooltip',
+    TreeItemExportTooltip = 'explorer.treeItem.exportTooltip',
+    TreeItemRenameTooltip = 'explorer.treeItem.renameTooltip',
+}