Git Pinned Commit Highlighter

The ultimate VS Code extension for visual git diff comparison! Pin any commit, branch, or reference and instantly see what's changed in your files with elegant gutter indicators.

🚀 Why You Need This Extension

Ever wished you could easily compare your current work against a specific commit or branch? Tired of switching between terminal and editor to see git diffs? This extension transforms your VS Code editor into a powerful visual diff tool that highlights changes right in the gutter - just like VS Code's native git integration, but for ANY reference you choose!

✨ Key Features

📌 Flexible Reference Pinning

• Pin any git reference: commits, branches, remote branches, tags
• Smart validation ensures your reference exists
• One-click toggle from the status bar
• Support for relative references (HEAD~2, main~5)

🎨 Visual Change Indicators

• 🟡 Yellow bars for modified lines
• 🟢 Green bars for added lines
• 🔻 Red down arrows for deleted content
• Clean, VSCode-native styling that doesn't interfere with your code

⚡ Real-time Updates

• Automatic highlighting when switching files
• Instant refresh on file save
• Seamless integration with your workflow

🎯 Smart Comparison

• Compare against HEAD by default
• Switch to any pinned reference instantly
• Perfect for feature branch development, code reviews, and refactoring

🎬 See It In Action

Pin a commit and see your changes highlighted instantly

🛠 How It Works

1. Click the pin icon (📌) in your status bar (bottom right)
2. Enter any git reference - branch name, commit SHA, or remote branch
3. Watch the magic happen - your file changes are highlighted immediately!

Example References You Can Pin:

main                    # Branch name
origin/develop         # Remote branch
a1b2c3d                # Commit SHA (short or full)
HEAD~5                 # Relative reference
v1.0.0                 # Tag
upstream/master        # Upstream branch

🎯 Perfect Use Cases

🔍 Code Reviews

Pin the base branch and see exactly what changed in your feature branch

🚧 Feature Development

Compare your work-in-progress against the original starting point

🔄 Refactoring

Keep track of modifications while restructuring code

🐛 Bug Investigation

Compare current state with known good commits

📊 Release Preparation

Review all changes since the last release tag

🚀 Getting Started

1. Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
2. Open any git repository in VS Code
3. Click the 📌 icon in the bottom-right status bar
4. Enter a git reference to pin (e.g., main, origin/develop)
5. Start coding and see your changes highlighted!

⚙️ Requirements

• Git repository: Your project must be a git repository
• VS Code 1.90.0+: Latest VS Code for the best experience
• Git CLI: Must be available in your system PATH

🎛️ Commands

Access via:

• Status bar click (📌 icon)
• Command Palette: Toggle Pinned Commit

🔧 Extension Settings

This extension works out of the box with no configuration required! The pinned reference is maintained per workspace session.

⚠️ Known Issues

• Gutter icons may not appear in some VS Code themes (working on universal compatibility)
• Large repositories might experience slight delays when switching references
• Binary files are not highlighted (git limitation)
• Down arrow indicators for deletions appear in gutter area

🔄 Release Notes

1.0.0 - Initial Release

• ✅ Pin any git reference (commits, branches, remotes)
• ✅ Visual gutter indicators for all change types
• ✅ Real-time file highlighting
• ✅ Status bar integration
• ✅ Reference validation

Future Plans

• 🔮 Multi-reference comparison
• 🔮 Customizable colors and indicators
• 🔮 File-level change statistics
• 🔮 Integration with git timeline

🤝 Contributing

Found a bug or have a feature request? We'd love to hear from you!

• 🐛 Report Issues
• 💡 Request Features
• 🔧 Contribute Code

📄 License

MIT License - feel free to use this extension in your projects!

⭐ Love This Extension?

If this extension saves you time and makes your development workflow smoother, consider:

• ⭐ Rating it on the VS Code Marketplace
• 🐦 Sharing it with your developer friends
• 💝 Contributing to make it even better

Happy coding! 🚀

Transform your git workflow with visual diff highlighting - pin any reference and code with confidence.