Git Ninja

Silent. Powerful. Expert Git tools at your fingertips.

Git Ninja provides advanced Git file management tools directly in VS Code's context menus. Perfect for developers who need precise control over their Git workflow without leaving their editor.

Features

Toggle .git/info/exclude

Permanently ignore files locally without affecting .gitignore or other team members.

• Perfect for: Personal config files, IDE settings, local notes
• Toggles: Add/remove files from .git/info/exclude

Skip-Worktree (Recommended)

Ignore local changes to tracked files while keeping them in the repository.

• Perfect for: Configuration files you need to modify locally but don't want to commit
• Use cases: package.json, webpack.config.js, database configs, API endpoints
• Benefits: More reliable than assume-unchanged, designed for this exact purpose

Checkout File from Branch

Pull specific files from other branches into your current working directory.

• Interactive branch selection: Choose from all available local and remote branches
• Safety first: Confirms before overwriting with clear warnings
• Smart validation: Checks if file exists in target branch before proceeding

Git Cleanup

Keep your repository clean by removing stale references and orphaned branches.

• Prune remotes: Remove stale remote-tracking references
• Delete orphaned branches: Find and remove local branches whose remotes are gone
• Interactive confirmation: See exactly what will be deleted before proceeding

Clean Ignored Files

Remove build artifacts and temporary files listed in .gitignore.

• Safe preview: See what will be deleted before executing
• Interactive confirmation: Review file list and confirm deletion
• Permanent cleanup: Uses git clean -fdX to remove only ignored files

Quick Start

1. Install Git Ninja from the VS Code Marketplace
2. Right-click any file in Explorer or Source Control
3. Choose your Git Ninja command from the context menu
4. Follow the interactive prompts

Commands

Usage Examples

Skip-Worktree for Config Files

# Before: Your package.json changes always show up in git status
# After: Modify locally, changes are ignored by Git

# Example workflow:
1. Right-click package.json → "Git: Toggle Skip-Worktree"
2. Modify your package.json for local development
3. Git status won't show package.json as modified
4. Your changes stay local, commits stay clean

Checkout Specific Files

# Before: git checkout main -- webpack.config.js
# After: Right-click → "Git: Checkout File from Branch" → Select "main"

# Benefits:
- Visual branch selection
- File existence validation
- Safety confirmations
- Automatic staging

Local File Exclusion

# Before: Adding files to .gitignore affects everyone
# After: Local exclusion affects only you

# Perfect for:
- .vscode/settings.json (personal VS Code settings)
- notes.md (your personal project notes)
- debug.log (temporary debugging files)

Repository Cleanup

# Before: Manual commands to clean up repository
# After: One-click cleanup with safety confirmations

# Cleanup workflow:
1. Run "Git: Cleanup" from Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
2. Automatically prunes stale remote references
3. Shows orphaned local branches (whose remotes are deleted)
4. Confirm deletion of orphaned branches
5. Repository is clean and organized

Clean Ignored Files

# Before: Manual deletion of build artifacts
# After: Safe, interactive cleanup of ignored files

# Cleanup workflow:
1. Run "Git: Clean Ignored Files" from Command Palette
2. Preview what files will be deleted
3. Option to view complete file list
4. Confirm deletion with double confirmation
5. All ignored files (node_modules, dist/, *.log, etc.) are removed

Requirements

• VS Code 1.102.0 or higher
• Git installed and accessible from command line
• Git repository (commands only work within Git repositories)

How It Works

Git Ninja leverages Git's built-in features:

• .git/info/exclude - Git's local exclude file (like .gitignore but personal)
• skip-worktree - Git flag to ignore changes to tracked files
• git checkout <branch> -- <file> - Git's file checkout command

All operations are performed using standard Git commands, ensuring compatibility and reliability.

Contributing

Found a bug? Have a feature request?

1. Issues: Report bugs or request features
2. Pull Requests: Contributions welcome!
3. Feedback: Help us improve Git Ninja

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Credits

Built with love for the VS Code community.

If Git Ninja helps your workflow, please star the repository and leave a review!