Git Timewarp

Navigate a file's history in-place — treating time as a navigable dimension in the editor.

Git Timewarp lets you scroll backward and forward through a file's commit history without leaving the editor. No context switching to diff views, no separate panels — just seamless time travel where you work.

The Concept

Traditional git history tools pull you away from code — into diff viewers, blame panels, or log outputs. Git Timewarp keeps you in the editor and adds a temporal axis:

Your scroll position is preserved across version changes — you stay anchored to the same region of code as you move through time.

Features

Time Navigation

Step through every commit that touched the current file. The editor content updates in place with syntax highlighting, preserving your viewport position.

Diff Highlighting

Changed lines are highlighted inline. Deleted lines appear as collapsed indicators between existing lines, so you see what changed without a separate diff panel.

Split View

Compare two points in time side-by-side within the same webview:

Minimap Markers

A vertical minimap shows change density across the file — green for modifications, red for deletions — so you can spot where changes cluster.

Unified Timeline

Git commits and VS Code local history entries merge into a single ordered timeline, giving sub-commit granularity for recent changes.

Boundary Indicators

When you reach the beginning of history or return to the present, a brief overlay confirms your position.

Keyboard Shortcuts

How It Works

1. History Provider — spawns git log --follow to build a timeline of commits per file
2. Content Provider — retrieves file content at any commit via git show
3. LRU Cache — keeps recent versions in memory for instant switching
4. Shiki Highlighter — syntax-highlights each version with structured tokens (no raw HTML)
5. Webview Panel — Lit-based Shadow DOM component renders everything declaratively

Configuration

Requirements

• VS Code 1.85+
• Git installed and accessible in PATH

Installation

Search for "Git Timewarp" in the VS Code Extensions Marketplace, or install from the command line:

code --install-extension arcmantle.vscode-git-timewarp

License

MIT