CodeLapse Extension

A dead-simple snapshot system for VS Code that works alongside Git. Take code snapshots with a single keystroke and navigate between them without any complexity.

Why CodeLapse?

Not a Git replacement, but a perfect companion. Git excels at formal version control and team collaboration, while CodeLapse excels at personal development workflow:

One-Key Snapshots: Create instant point-in-time backups with a single key press
Zero Mental Overhead: No staging, no commit messages, no branches to manage
Frictionless Exploration: Try ideas without worrying about "messing up" your Git history
Development Safety Net: Create snapshots between Git commits for personal checkpoints
Instant Restoration: Jump back to any snapshot instantly - no stashing, no cherry-picking

CodeLapse is the missing tool between the autosave feature of your IDE and the formal commits of Git.

Documentation

User Guide - How to use the extension, settings, and troubleshooting.
Git Companion Guide - How to use CodeLapse alongside Git.
Developer Guide - Technical details, architecture, and contribution guidelines.
Roadmap - Planned features and improvements.

Features

CodeLapse offers a robust set of features, categorized as follows:

Snapshot Basics:

[x] One-key snapshot creation (Ctrl+Alt+S)
[x] Snapshot navigation (forward/backward: Ctrl+Alt+N/Ctrl+Alt+B)
[x] Time-based grouping in "My Snapshots" & "Auto Snapshots" Explorer views
[x] Status bar indicator (time since last snapshot, current index)

Working with Snapshots:

[x] File comparison (Diff View) between snapshots and current workspace
[x] Single file restoration
[x] Selective snapshots (choose specific files)

Automation & Efficiency:

[x] Basic time-based auto-snapshots (autoSnapshotInterval)
[x] Rule-based auto-snapshots for specific file patterns (autoSnapshot.rules)
[x] UI for managing auto-snapshot rules
[x] Editor Gutter Indicators for changed lines since last snapshot
[x] Efficient differential storage for text files
[x] Content Caching for faster diffs and restores
[x] Asynchronous file I/O for improved performance

Context & Organization:

[x] Enhanced snapshot context: Tags, Notes, Task References, Favorites
[x] Editing snapshot context via Tree View context menu
[x] Filtering by Date, Tags, Favorites, File Path (View Title icons)
[x] Filter Status Bar indicator
[x] .gitignore / .snapshotignore support for file exclusion

Git Integration:

[x] Storing branch/commit info (git.addCommitInfo)
[x] Create Git Commit from Snapshot command (git.commitFromSnapshotEnabled)
[x] Auto-snapshot before pull/merge/rebase (git.autoSnapshotBeforeOperation)

Getting Started:

[x] Welcome Experience / Tour / Getting Started command

Configuration

CodeLapse offers several settings to customize its behavior:

vscode-snapshots.snapshotLocation: Where to store snapshot data (default: .snapshots).
vscode-snapshots.maxSnapshots: Maximum number of snapshots to keep (default: 50).
vscode-snapshots.autoSnapshotInterval: Interval for automatic snapshots in minutes (default: 0 - disabled).
vscode-snapshots.loggingEnabled: Enable detailed logging (default: true).
vscode-snapshots.git.addCommitInfo: Store Git branch/commit with snapshots (default: true).
vscode-snapshots.git.commitFromSnapshotEnabled: Enable the "Create Git Commit from Snapshot" command (default: true).
vscode-snapshots.git.autoSnapshotBeforeOperation: Automatically snapshot before Git pull/merge/rebase (default: false).

See the User Guide for more details on configuration.

When to Use CodeLapse vs. Git

If you want to...	Use CodeLapse	Use Git
Try an experimental approach quickly	✅ Perfect for rapid iteration	❌ Too formal for experiments
Save work-in-progress state	✅ One keystroke, no commit message	❌ Requires WIP commits or stashing
Track logical feature development	❌ Not designed for this	✅ Designed for logical commits
Collaborate with others	❌ Local snapshots only	✅ Built for collaboration
Keep a clean project history	❌ Not designed for this	✅ Supports squashing, rebasing, etc.
Create multiple save points between commits	✅ Perfect use case	❌ Would create messy history
Organize changes with meaningful context	✅ Tags and notes provide rich context	❌ Requires complex branch names or verbose commit messages
Maintain a formal version control record	❌ Not designed for this	✅ Exactly what Git is for
Protect against accidental changes	✅ Quick protection with no overhead	✅ More formal protection

Both tools together provide the best experience: Use Git for formal version control and team collaboration, and use CodeLapse for your personal development workflow.

Quick Start

Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace.
Open a project/workspace.
Press Ctrl+Alt+S (or Cmd+Alt+S on Mac) to take your first snapshot.
Choose between Quick Snapshot or Detailed Snapshot with tags and notes.
Add a description and any context information if using a Detailed Snapshot.
Use Ctrl+Alt+B / Ctrl+Alt+N to navigate between snapshots.
Use the Snapshots view in the Activity Bar to browse, compare, restore, or delete snapshots.
Right-click on snapshots to edit tags, notes, or toggle favorite status.
Use filtering commands to find snapshots by date, tags, or favorite status.
Run diagnostics (Ctrl+Alt+D) if needed.

For detailed usage, settings, and troubleshooting, see the User Guide.

System Requirements

VS Code 1.60.0 or higher
Works on all platforms supported by VS Code

CodeLapse

YukioTheSage