Git Branches Explorer
Installation
Install from VS Code Extensions (search for "Git Branches Explorer") or:
code --install-extension irek-cicherski.git-branches-explorer
View on VS Code Marketplace
Three sections in the Source Control view:
- Local Branches —
refs/heads. HEAD marked with ✓. Shows ↑ahead / ↓behind against upstream.
- Remote Branches —
refs/remotes/*. Grouped by remote when more than one is configured.
- Tags —
refs/tags.
Multi-repo workspaces show repositories as parent nodes.
Features
Overview
Three organized sections in the Source Control view with full branch/tag management.
Local Branches
List all local branches with current branch indicator (✓). Inline action icons for checkout, delete, push, pull.
Remote Branches
Browse remote branches grouped by remote name. One-click checkout and merge.
Quick Switch
Quick Pick for fast switching between local, remote branches and tags. Default keybinding: Ctrl+Alt+B (Cmd+Alt+B on macOS).
Manage tags with push, delete (local/remote), and checkout.
Highlights
- Inline action icons on hover (checkout / delete / push / pull) per ref.
- Quick Switch Quick Pick across all local + remote branches and tags. Default keybinding
Ctrl+Alt+B (Cmd+Alt+B on macOS).
- Cherry-pick from any branch, remote branch or tag (uses
Repository.cherryPick if available, falls back to git.run(['cherry-pick', …])).
- Per-view filter shown in the tree's
message area.
- Lazy ahead/behind for non-current local branches via
Repository.getBranch(), cached per repo, invalidated on state change.
- Last-commit author + relative date appended to each row's description, fetched lazily via
Repository.getCommit(), keyed by commit hash (cache survives state changes).
- Group remotes automatically when more than one is configured; per-group fetch.
Title-bar actions
| View |
Actions |
| Local Branches |
Create Branch • Quick Switch • Filter • Refresh |
| Remote Branches |
Fetch (all) • Filter • Refresh |
| Tags |
Create Tag • Filter • Refresh |
| Item |
Inline |
Menu |
| Local branch (other) |
Checkout, Delete |
Checkout • Merge • Rebase • Cherry-pick • Publish • Rename • Delete • Copy Name |
| Local branch (current) |
Push, Pull |
Push • Publish • Pull • Rename • Copy Name |
| Remote group |
Fetch |
Fetch (this remote) |
| Remote branch |
Checkout, Delete on Remote |
Checkout (tracking) • Merge • Rebase • Cherry-pick • Delete on Remote • Copy Name |
| Tag |
Checkout, Delete |
Checkout • Cherry-pick • Push Tag • Delete (Local) • Delete (Remote) • Copy Name |
Architecture
- Contributes three views to the built-in
scm view container.
- Uses official Git extension API (
vscode.git, version 1) — no shelling out.
- One
TreeDataProvider per view, filtering Repository.state.refs by RefType.
- Refresh on
Repository.state.onDidChange plus toolbar actions.
- Optional low-level
Repository.git.run() escape hatch for operations not exposed by the typed API (used as fallback for cherry-pick).
Develop
cd Src/Tools/VSCodeBranchesExplorer
npm install
npm run build # bundles to dist/extension.js
npm run compile # type-check only
# F5 in VS Code → "Run Extension"
Package as .vsix:
npx @vscode/vsce package
Roadmap
- Worktree awareness (when
vscode.git exposes it)
- Reset HEAD (soft / mixed / hard) on a selected ref
- Show last-commit author + date as item description (cached)
- Compare two branches (open
git.diff view)
