Gist Editor for VS Code
Manage GitHub Gists seamlessly within VS Code. Create, edit, view, and organize your gists directly from the editor without ever leaving your workspace.
Features
- Manage Personal Gists: View and edit all your GitHub gists in a dedicated sidebar
- Starred Gists: Browse and open starred gists for quick reference
- Create New Gists: Create gists from scratch, from current file, or from selection
- Syntax Highlighting: Automatic language detection for proper code highlighting
- Quick Edit & Save: Open gist files as virtual documents and save changes with keyboard shortcuts
- Full File Management: Add, rename, or delete files within your gists
- GitHub Integration: Open gists on GitHub, view history, and manage stars
- OAuth Authentication: Seamless GitHub login via VS Code's built-in authentication
- Gist Visibility: Create public or secret gists with a simple choice
- Fast Caching: In-memory caching reduces API calls for smooth performance
Installation
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search for "Gist Editor"
- Click Install
Getting Started
1. Sign In with GitHub
- Open the Gist Editor sidebar (click the GitHub icon in the activity bar)
- Click the gear icon (⚙️) to open token configuration
- Select Sign in with GitHub
- A browser window will open for authentication
- Authorize the extension to access your gists
Note: VS Code securely manages your GitHub token using its built-in authentication system.
2. Create a Gist
Several options are available:
From the Sidebar:
- Click the + button in the "My Gists" section
- Enter a description and choose visibility (public/secret)
From Current File:
- Right-click in the editor → Create Gist from Current File
- Or use keyboard shortcut:
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G (Cmd+Alt+Shift+G on Mac)
From Selection:
- Select code in the editor
- Right-click → Create Gist from Selection
- Or use keyboard shortcut:
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S (Cmd+Alt+Shift+S on Mac)
3. Edit a Gist
- Click on a gist file in the sidebar to open it
- Edit the content in the editor
- Save with
Ctrl+Alt+S (Cmd+Alt+S on Mac) or the standard save shortcut
- Changes are automatically synced to GitHub
4. Manage Gist Files
Right-click on a gist to:
- Add File: Add a new file to the gist
- Rename: Change the gist description
- Open in GitHub: View the gist on GitHub.com
- View History: See commit history
- Star/Unstar: Toggle star status
- Delete: Remove the gist
Right-click on a file within a gist to:
- Rename: Change the filename
- Open in GitHub: View the file on GitHub
- Delete: Remove the file from the gist
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action |
Windows/Linux |
macOS |
| Save Gist |
Ctrl+Alt+S |
Cmd+Alt+S |
| Create Gist |
Ctrl+Alt+G |
Cmd+Alt+G |
| Create from File |
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G |
Cmd+Alt+Shift+G |
| Create from Selection |
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S |
Cmd+Alt+Shift+S |
Configuration
This extension uses VS Code's built-in GitHub authentication and doesn't require manual configuration for most users.
Advanced: Manual Token Entry (if needed):
- Open Settings
- Search for "Gist Editor"
- Set
gistEditor.githubToken with a personal access token
- Token must have
gist scope
Supported Languages
The extension automatically detects syntax highlighting for 100+ file types including:
- Web: JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, SCSS, Vue, React, etc.
- Languages: Python, Java, Go, Rust, C++, C#, PHP, Ruby, etc.
- Data: JSON, YAML, TOML, XML, etc.
- Markup: Markdown, LaTeX, AsciiDoc, etc.
- Infrastructure: Dockerfile, Terraform, HCL, etc.
- And many more...
Requirements
- VS Code 1.104.0 or higher
- Active GitHub account
- Internet connection (for GitHub API calls)
Known Limitations
- First load of gists may take a few seconds while loading from GitHub API
- Large gists (100+ files) may take longer to expand in the sidebar
- Viewing gist history requires VS Code 1.110.0+
Troubleshooting
Cannot sign in to GitHub
- Check your internet connection
- Try signing out and back in via the gear icon
- Verify your GitHub account is active
Gists not showing up
- Click the refresh icon in the sidebar
- Check that you're signed in
- Verify your GitHub token has the
gist scope
Changes not syncing
- Ensure you save the file (Ctrl+S or Cmd+S)
- Check your internet connection
- Verify you're still authenticated
Privacy & Security
- Your GitHub token is securely managed by VS Code's authentication system
- Gists are synced directly with GitHub's servers
- No data is stored locally except for in-memory caching
- This extension does not collect any telemetry
Contributing
Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue on GitHub
License
MIT License - See LICENSE file for details
Changelog
See CHANGELOG.md for release notes and version history.
Enjoy managing your gists from VS Code! 🚀
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