Salesforce package.xml file to get all metadata from your org. Works great with vscode and cli.

package.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ApexClass</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ApexComponent</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ApexPage</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ApexTrigger</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>AssignmentRule</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>AuraDefinitionBundle</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>AuthProvider</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>BrandingSet</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CallCenter</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CampaignInfluenceModel</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CleanDataService</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Community</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CompactLayout</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ConnectedApp</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CorsWhitelistOrigin</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomApplication</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomField</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomNotificationType</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomObject</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomSite</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>CustomTab</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Dashboard</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Document</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>DuplicateRule</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>EmailServicesFunction</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>EmailTemplate</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>EscalationRule</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>FlexiPage</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Flow</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>FlowDefinition</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Group</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>HomePageLayout</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Layout</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Letterhead</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>LightningComponentBundle</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>LightningExperienceTheme</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ListView</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>MatchingRule</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>MatchingRules</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>PathAssistant</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>PermissionSet</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>PlatformCachePartition</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Profile</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ProfilePasswordPolicy</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ProfileSessionSetting</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Queue</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>QuickAction</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>RecordType</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>RemoteSiteSetting</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Report</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ReportType</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>Role</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>SharingRules</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>StaticResource</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>TopicsForObjects</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>TransactionSecurityPolicy</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>ValidationRule</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>WebLink</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>WorkflowAlert</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>WorkflowFieldUpdate</name>
  </types>
  <types>
    <members>*</members>
    <name>WorkflowRule</name>
  </types>
  <version>47.0</version>
</Package>

How do you use this to retrieve all metadata using VS code with SFDX extensions installed?

Figured it out:

1. Create a manifest folder in your project folder
2. Put the package.xml file in there
3. Run the command SFDX: Retrieve Source in Manifest from Org
4. Once finished, all the source folders appear in the explorer tab

awesome! thanks for sharing!