The panel also auto-refreshes when .git/HEAD, .git/refs, or .git/packed-refs change.
Right-click menu — local branches
Action
Available on
Checkout
Non-current branches
Push
Any local branch (git push -u origin <branch>)
Pull
Current branch only (git pull)
Rename Branch
Non-protected branches
Delete Local Branch
Non-protected, non-current branches — offers safe (-d) or force (-D) delete
Right-click menu — remote branches
Action
Description
New Branch from Selected
Creates and checks out a new local branch from the remote branch
Checkout
Creates a local tracking branch and checks it out
Pull into Current Branch Using Rebase
git pull --rebase <remote> <branch> onto HEAD
Pull into Current Branch Using Merge
git pull <remote> <branch> onto HEAD
Delete Remote Branch
git push <remote> --delete <branch> — protected branches are excluded
Protected branches
main, master, and develop are considered protected — delete and rename are hidden for them.
Conflict resolution
When a pull or merge produces conflicts, a conflict list panel opens automatically. It shows every conflicted file and lets you:
Click a file to open it in VS Code's built-in 3-way merge editor. The panel hides while you resolve and reappears when you close the editor.
Continue the merge or rebase once all conflicts are resolved (the panel detects this automatically and prompts you).
Abort to cancel the entire merge or rebase.
The conflict list updates in real time as files are resolved — no need to manually refresh.
Checkout with in-progress merge
If you try to check out a branch while a merge or rebase is stuck on unresolved conflicts, you are offered the option to abort the in-progress operation and switch branches immediately.
