Compare two git branches visually — a merge-request-style review right
inside VS Code, without needing an actual MR/PR. Pick any two branches, get a
tree of changed files, browse the commits, and click any file to open VS Code's
built-in side-by-side diff.
Features
Branch → branch comparison from a dedicated activity-bar view.
Merge-base (three-dot) diff by default — shows only the changes introduced
on the source branch since it diverged from the target, the same way a
merge request presents changes. Toggle to a direct (two-dot) diff any time.
File tree with git-style A/M/D/R badges and colors, compacted
folders, and a +/− line-change summary.
Commits view listing the commits on the source branch that aren't in the
target (target..source) — like an MR's Commits tab. Expand a commit to
see its changed files, and click a file to diff that commit against its
parent. Copy a commit's SHA from its inline action.
View entire commit as one diff — the inline action on a commit opens all
of its files together in VS Code's scrolling multi-file diff editor. The
Changes view title has the same View all changes as one diff action for
the whole comparison.
Native diff editor on click — full syntax highlighting, folding, and
inline navigation for free. Added/deleted files render correctly.
Swap target/source and refresh after new commits, from the view title.
Works with local and remote-tracking branches.
Usage
Open the Branch Compare view in the activity bar.
Click Select branches to compare.
Choose the source branch (the changes you want to review), then the
target branch (the base to compare against).
Browse the changed files and click any file to open its diff.
Use the view-title buttons to swap branches, toggle merge-base/direct mode, or
refresh.
Settings
Setting
Default
Description
branchCompare.compareMode
merge-base
merge-base (three-dot, MR-style) or direct (two-dot).
branchCompare.showRemoteBranches
true
Include remote-tracking branches in the picker.
Develop
npm install
npm run compile # or: npm run watch
Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host with the
extension loaded. Requires git on your PATH.
How it works
The changed-file list comes from git diff --name-status over the chosen range
(target...source for merge-base, target..source for direct). Each file's two
sides are served to the diff editor by a virtual branch-compare: document
provider backed by git show <ref>:<path>, so nothing is written to disk and
your working tree is never touched.
