Experiments for VSCode

Stop stashing. Stop undo-redo juggling. Toggle between different implementations on the fly.

Experiments lets you create and manage multiple variants of your code using Git branches under the hood - while keeping the workflow simple and visual.

Install from Visual Studio Marketplace

Features

• Git-Powered Versioning

  • Each experiment uses Git branches transparently - your variants are safely stored and can be accessed even outside the extension.

• Works Across Multiple Files

  • Switch variants and all tracked files update at once—not just the one you're looking at.

• View Diffs Between Any Variants

  • See diffs between any variant and baseline, or compare variants against each other.
  • Edit directly in the diff view when viewing your active variant.

• Tree or List View

  • Toggle between flat list or folder-grouped tree view for changed files.

How It Works

1. Start Experiment - your current code is committed to a baseline branch
2. Make changes - they're tracked in your first variant (v1)
3. New Variant - creates a new branch from baseline or any existing variant
4. Switch - toggle between any variant or back to baseline
5. Compare - view diffs between any two variants

Getting Started

1. Open the Source Control panel in the sidebar
2. Find the Experiments section
3. Click Start Experiment and give it a name
4. Edit your files normally
5. Click the + button on an experiment to create a new variant
6. Click the switch icon on any variant or baseline to apply it

Comparison View

Right-click any variant and select Compare With... to:

• Compare with baseline
• Compare with any other variant
• View all changed files in a tree
• Multiple comparisons can be active at once

Under the Hood

Experiments creates Git branches with the naming convention:

• exp--<name>/base - The baseline branch
• exp--<name>/v1, exp--<name>/v2, etc. - Variant branches

When you switch variants, all changes are auto-committed.

License

MIT