https://github.com/thimo/vscode-branch-diff

All changes between the current branch and another branch or commit, stacked in VS Code's native multi-file diff editor — with a PR-style file-list sidebar in the Source Control panel.
https://github.com/thimo/vscode-branch-diff

Last synced: 8 days ago
JSON representation

All changes between the current branch and another branch or commit, stacked in VS Code's native multi-file diff editor — with a PR-style file-list sidebar in the Source Control panel.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/thimo/vscode-branch-diff
• Owner: thimo
• License: mit
• Created: 2026-05-20T08:22:32.000Z (about 1 month ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2026-05-20T11:03:30.000Z (about 1 month ago)
• Last Synced: 2026-05-20T14:50:29.390Z (about 1 month ago)
• Language: JavaScript
• Size: 289 KB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 0
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
  • License: LICENSE

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

          
# Branch Diff

[![Release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/thimo/vscode-branch-diff?label=release)](https://github.com/thimo/vscode-branch-diff/releases) [![VS Code Marketplace](https://img.shields.io/badge/marketplace-install-blue)](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=thimo.branchdiff)

The GitHub **"Files changed"** tab, locally. All changes between the

current branch (HEAD) and another branch — or an earlier commit on the

current branch — stacked in VS Code's native multi-file diff editor,

with a PR-style sidebar of changed files. No GitHub, no leaving the

editor.

## What it does

- **Command Palette: _Branch Diff…_** → one picker listing every other

  branch (local + remote) and the last 40 commits on the current

  branch.

- **Pick a branch** → diffs HEAD against that branch tip

  (`branch..HEAD`, "what I've added on top").

- **Pick a commit** → diffs from that commit onwards, **inclusive of

  its own changes**, up to HEAD. (Internally `commit^..HEAD`, so the

  changes _in_ the commit you just clicked are part of the diff —

  which is what you'd expect.)

- The result opens stacked in the native multi-diff editor: every

  changed file in one scrollable view, syntax-highlighted, rename-

  detected, native theme, live refresh as files change. Ideal for

  watching agent edits land.

## The file-list sidebar

A **Branch Diff** view appears in the **Source Control** panel with

every changed file in the active comparison:

- **Tree** or **flat list** layout — toggled from the view title bar

  (button on the left), persisted in settings.

- Compact-folder collapsing in tree mode (`a/b/c` joined into one row

  when intermediate folders only contain one subfolder — same idea as

  the built-in SCM "CHANGES" view).

- Per-file `+x −y` line counts (via the git API, no shelling out) and

  themed add/modify/delete/rename status icons.

- **Click a file → reveals that file _inside_ the already-open

  multi-diff editor**, scrolling to it instead of opening a separate

  tab. Deleted files (no head-side content to reveal) open as a

  standalone diff alongside.

- **Change Base…** and **Refresh** actions on the view toolbar — swap

  to a different base or re-run with the current one (HEAD is re-read

  each time, so refresh picks up new commits).

- The view header reflects the active comparison next to

  "BRANCH DIFF" — e.g. *"main ↔ develop · 66 files"*.

## Relation to the native multi-diff editor

VS Code already opens a native multi-diff for the working tree, staged

changes, or a commit range selected in the Source Control Graph. Branch

Diff adds the one entry point that isn't built in: an ad-hoc

**current-branch vs. arbitrary branch-or-commit** comparison from a

single command — without hunting through the Graph or staging anything.

Same native editor, with the missing PR-style sidebar bolted on.

## Settings

| Setting | Default | What it does |

| --- | --- | --- |

| `branchDiff.viewMode` | `"tree"` | How the file list renders. `"tree"` or `"list"`. |

| `branchDiff.compactFolders` | `true` | In tree mode, collapse chains of single-subfolder folders into one row. |

## Development

No build step, zero runtime dependencies. The only devDependency is

`@types/vscode` for editor-level `// @ts-check` against the official

VS Code typings (nothing compiled — the editor's bundled TS checks the

JS in place). After `npm install`, press F5 ("Run

Extension") to launch an Extension Development Host with the extension

loaded; edit `extension.js` and reload the dev host to iterate. See

`RELEASING.md` for packaging.

## License

MIT © Thimo Jansen