JetBrains Git Branches

English | 简体中文

JetBrains Git Branches is a VS Code extension for developers who miss the branch workflow from JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA, PhpStorm, and WebStorm.

It brings a familiar branch tree and common branch actions into the VS Code/Cursor Source Control sidebar: browse local and remote branches as folders, fetch all remotes, checkout branches, create a branch from another branch, merge a selected branch into the current branch, and resolve conflicts with VS Code Merge Editor.

This extension is not a full Git client replacement. It focuses on the branch operations JetBrains users tend to use every day.

Features

• JetBrains-style branch tree for local and remote branches.
• Multi-level branch folders split by /, for example origin/feature/demo becomes origin > feature > demo.
• Search local and remote branches by keyword while keeping the multi-level tree structure.
• Show the current branch in a dedicated Current Branch group.
• Keep favorite branches in a dedicated Favorite Branches group.
• Keep recently checked out or created branches in a dedicated Recent Branches group.
• Copy branch names from the branch context menu.
• Fetch all remotes with git fetch --all.
• Checkout local branches and remote tracking branches.
• Create a new branch from any selected branch. Remote branches are used only as the starting point and are not kept as upstream.
• Merge a selected branch into the current branch.
• Delete local branches and remote branches with confirmation.
• Back up untracked files before checkout when Git reports an overwrite risk.
• Offer Stash and retry before checkout when tracked local changes would be overwritten.
• Open VS Code Merge Editor when merge conflicts are produced.
• Switch the extension UI between automatic, Simplified Chinese, and English.

Usage

1. Open a Git repository folder in VS Code or Cursor.
2. Open the Source Control sidebar and find the JetBrains Git Branches view.
3. Expand Local Branches or Remote Branches.
4. Click Search Branches in the view title bar to filter branches, or Clear Branch Search to restore the full tree.
5. Right-click a branch to use branch actions: Copy Branch Name, Favorite / Unfavorite Branch, Checkout, Create Branch from Here..., Merge into Current Branch, or Delete Branch.
6. Click Fetch All Remotes in the view title bar to fetch all remotes.

Language Setting

Use the JetBrains Git Branches: Language setting to switch the extension UI:

• auto: follow the VS Code or Cursor display language.
• zh-CN: use Simplified Chinese.
• en: use English.

The setting updates the branch tree labels, context menus, notifications, and output messages.

Setting priority follows VS Code/Cursor rules:

Workspace setting > User setting > Extension default

If the language does not change after you update the user setting, check whether the current repository has a workspace override in .vscode/settings.json, for example:

{
  "jetBrainsGitBranches.language": "en"
}

Remove the workspace override to use the user setting globally, or change it to zh-CN/en for that workspace only. If the tree is still not refreshed, run Developer: Reload Window.

Note: the contributed view title JetBrains Git Branches is a static VS Code/Cursor contribution and cannot be switched dynamically by this setting.

JetBrains Workflow Mapping

Requirements

• VS Code 1.85.0 or later, or a compatible Cursor version.
• Git must be installed and available on PATH.
• The current workspace should contain a Git repository.

Packaging

Build a local VSIX package:

npx @vscode/vsce package --allow-missing-repository

Install the generated VSIX locally:

code --install-extension git-branches-viewer-0.0.7.vsix

For Cursor:

cursor --install-extension git-branches-viewer-0.0.7.vsix --force

Publishing Notes

Before publishing to Visual Studio Marketplace:

• Run npx @vscode/vsce package and verify the generated .vsix.
• Run npx @vscode/vsce login chengxs1994.
• Run npx @vscode/vsce publish.

License

MIT