Git Branch Manager
Stop manually deleting old branches. This extension shows you which branches are merged or stale, and lets you clean them up with one click.
Features
Branch Health Scoring
Every branch gets a health score (0-100) based on merge status, age, remote tracking, and commits behind. Instantly see which branches need attention.
Local Branch Management
- Dashboard showing all branches organized by status (merged, stale, orphaned, active)
- Bulk delete operations with confirmation
- Branch templates for consistent naming
Remote Branch Management
- View and clean merged remote branches
- Prune stale remote references
- Identify orphaned local branches (remote deleted)
Git Worktree Integration
- List all worktrees in your repository
- Create new worktrees from any branch
- Open worktrees in new VS Code windows
- Lock/unlock and remove worktrees
Stash Management
- View all stashes with file count and age
- Create stashes (with or without untracked files)
- Apply, pop, or drop individual stashes
- Clear all stashes with confirmation
Quick Start
- Install the extension
- Click the branch icon in your status bar, or run
Git Branch Manager: Show Branch Cleaner
- Use the tabs to navigate: Local, Remote, Worktrees, Stashes
- Clean up what you don't need
Keyboard shortcuts:
Cmd+Shift+G Cmd+Shift+C (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+G Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows) - Open dashboardCmd+Shift+G Cmd+Shift+N (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+G Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) - Create branch from template
Commands
| Command |
Description |
Git Branch Manager: Show Branch Cleaner |
Open the main dashboard |
Git Branch Manager: Quick Clean Merged Branches |
Delete all merged branches |
Git Branch Manager: Create Branch from Template |
Create a new branch using templates |
Git Branch Manager: Clean Remote Branches |
Clean merged remote branches |
Git Branch Manager: Manage Worktrees |
View and manage worktrees |
Git Branch Manager: Create Worktree |
Create a worktree from a branch |
Git Branch Manager: Quick Stash |
Stash current changes |
Git Branch Manager: Pop Latest Stash |
Pop the most recent stash |
Branch Templates
Create branches with consistent naming:
| Template |
Pattern |
Example |
| Feature |
feature/{description} |
feature/add-user-auth |
| Bugfix |
bugfix/{description} |
bugfix/fix-login-error |
| Hotfix |
hotfix/{description} |
hotfix/critical-payment-fix |
| Release |
release/{version} |
release/v1.2.0 |
| Experiment |
exp/{description} |
exp/new-algorithm |
Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
gitBranchManager.daysUntilStale |
30 |
Days before a branch is flagged as stale |
gitBranchManager.protectedBranches |
["main", "master", "develop", "dev", "staging", "production"] |
Branches that will never be suggested for deletion |
gitBranchManager.confirmBeforeDelete |
true |
Show confirmation dialog before deleting |
gitBranchManager.showNotifications |
true |
Show notifications when branches need cleanup |
FAQ
Does this delete remote branches?
Yes, but only through the Remote tab with explicit confirmation. Local deletions don't affect your remote.
Can I undo a deletion?
Git doesn't make branch deletion easily reversible. That's why the extension shows confirmation dialogs. If you need to recover a deleted branch, use git reflog to find the commit and recreate it.
Why doesn't my branch show up?
Protected branches (main, master, develop, etc.) are hidden from the cleanup list. You can customize this in settings.
What are orphaned branches?
Local branches whose remote tracking branch has been deleted. These are safe to clean up.
Requirements
- VS Code 1.74.0 or higher
- Git installed and accessible from command line
- An open Git repository
Changelog
See CHANGELOG.md for version history.
Found a Bug?
Open an issue on GitHub
Support
If this extension saves you time, consider:
MIT License
