Amend Any Commit
git commit --amend only fixes the last commit. This extension lets you fix the message of any commit on your branch, in two clicks, without an interactive rebase.
I made it because I often notice a typo three commits too late, and Git Graph had no way to fix it.
How to use it
Pick the commit from one of these places:
- Source Control Graph: right-click a commit > Edit Commit Message... (see the note below).
- Timeline (file history, under the Explorer): right-click a commit > Edit Commit Message...
- Command Palette: Git: Edit a Commit Message..., then choose the commit.
- Source Control view: ... menu > Edit a Commit Message...
Type the new message and press Enter. That's it.
What it does
- The last commit is amended. An older commit is rewritten, then the commits after it are replayed on top. They keep the same content, so there is never a conflict.
- Author and date are kept.
- The input box edits the first line of the message. The description below it is kept as is.
- It refuses when it can't do the job safely: uncommitted changes, a rebase or merge in progress, or a merge commit in the way.
Commits already pushed
Changing a pushed commit rewrites history, so you need a force push afterwards. When the commit is already pushed, a force push toggle appears in the input box:
- On: right after the edit, the branch is pushed with
--force-with-lease. The push only goes through if the remote has not changed since you opened the box, so you never erase someone else's work. Your choice is remembered.
- Off: a warning reminds you that you will have to force push yourself.
The right-click menu of the Source Control Graph is still a proposed API in VS Code: VS Code only shows it for extensions it allows. Until it becomes stable, you can allow this extension yourself:
- Run Preferences: Configure Runtime Arguments from the Command Palette. It opens
argv.json.
- Add this line:
"enable-proposed-api": ["corentin-gautier.amend-any-commit"]
- Quit and restart VS Code.
The Timeline, the Command Palette and the Source Control menu work without this.
Requirements
Git, and VS Code's built-in Git extension (enabled by default).
Development
npm test # git logic on throwaway repositories
npx @vscode/vsce package # builds amend-any-commit-<version>.vsix
code --install-extension amend-any-commit-<version>.vsix
python3 tools/draw-icon.py icon.png # redraws the icon (needs Pillow)
Pushing a tag like v0.5.0 publishes to the VS Code Marketplace (Trusted Publishing, no token) and Open VSX (OVSX_PAT secret), see .github/workflows/release.yml.
