Need version control but want to keep things simple? GitLite offers a lightweight approach to tracking your code changes. It's version control that gets out of your way, letting you focus on what matters - your code.
🎯 Perfect For:
Solo Projects: Track changes without the complexity of a full VCS
Learning/Teaching: Ideal for students learning to code
Quick Prototypes: Experiment safely with instant version saves
Casual Developers: When you need version control that just works
Quick Backups: Create instant snapshots before major changes
🌟 Key Features
Quick Versions: Save up to 10 named versions of your workspace
Time Travel: Instantly restore to any saved version
Zero Config: Works immediately after installation
Visual Interface: Everything through VS Code's UI
Lightweight: Minimal overhead, maximum efficiency
Self-Contained: Everything stays in your project folder
📸 How It Works
GitLite creates a .backup folder in your workspace to store versions of your files. Each version is a complete snapshot of your workspace, making it easy to restore your entire project to any saved state.
Available Commands:
GitLite: Save Version - Save your current workspace state
GitLite: Restore Version - Return to a previous version
GitLite: Version History - View all your saved versions
🚀 Getting Started
Install GitLite from VS Code Marketplace
Open your project folder in VS Code
Use Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P) and type "GitLite"
Save your first version!
💡 Usage Examples
Saving a Version
Make changes to your files
Open Command Palette
Run "GitLite: Save Version"
Enter a name (e.g., "before-refactoring")
Done! Your code is safely stored
Restoring a Version
Open Command Palette
Run "GitLite: Restore Version"
Select the version you want to restore
Confirm the restore
Your code is back to the selected state!
⚡️ GitLite vs Traditional Git
Feature
GitLite
Traditional Git
Learning Curve
Minutes
Days/Weeks
Commands to Learn
3
20+
Setup Time
None
Repository setup required
Interface
Visual
Command-line focused
Best For
Solo projects & quick versions
Team collaboration & complex workflows
🛡️ Safe and Secure
All versions stored locally in your project
No cloud storage or external services
No data leaves your computer
Clear confirmation before version restore
📝 Smart Features
Automatically skips system files and folders
Prevents duplicate version names
Maintains version history with timestamps
Shows preview before restore
🎓 Perfect for Education
Educators choose GitLite because:
Students focus on coding, not version control
No version control complexity
Easy to demonstrate code evolution
Ideal for assignments and projects
🤔 When to Use Traditional Git
GitLite is great for many scenarios, but consider traditional Git when you need:
