Branch Changes is a simple VS Code extension that helps developers track and visualize code changes between Git branches. With a clean tree view directly integrated in the VS Code explorer, it provides a seamless way to understand what files have been modified.
Features
🔍 Real-time Change Tracking: Automatically updates when files change, branches switch, or files are saved
🌳 Hierarchical View: Files are organized by folder structure for easier navigation
🔄 Compare Any Two Branches: Select which branch to compare against (defaults to main/master)
📊 Color-coded Status: Quickly identify staged, unstaged, and committed changes
⚡ Auto-detection: Automatically finds the most appropriate source branch
🖱️ Click to Open: Files open directly when clicked
🔄 Automatic Refresh: View stays current with file system changes
Installation
Install this extension directly from the VS Code Marketplace:
Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
Search for "Branch Changes"
Click Install
Or install using the VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P):
ext install branch-changes
Usage
The extension automatically adds a "Changed Files" view to your Explorer panel. From there, you can:
View Changed Files: All modified files are shown in a tree view, organized by status and directory structure
Select Comparison Branch: Click the branch selector at the top of the view to choose which branch to compare against
Open Files: Click on any file to open it in the editor
Monitor Changes: The view automatically refreshes when you make changes or switch branches
Commands
Refresh Changed Files: Manually refresh the changed files view
Select Comparison Branch: Open a dropdown to select which branch to compare against
Requirements
Visual Studio Code v1.98.0 or higher
Git installed and available in PATH
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
Fork the repository
Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
Open a Pull Request
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Support
If you encounter any problems or have suggestions, please open an issue on GitHub.
