Git Flow Next for VS Code

A VS Code extension that brings the Git Flow Next CLI workflow into the editor with commands, prompts, and a sidebar view for your feature/release/hotfix/support/bugfix branches.

This project is in its v0.1 ‘early access’ phase. Contributions and feedback are especially welcome as the extension and the git-flow-next project evolves.

What this extension does

• Command Palette actions for every Git Flow Next operation (start/finish/list/checkout/delete/rename/update for all branch types, plus shorthand finish/update/rebase/delete/rename/publish).
• Sidebar view that lists Git Flow branches by type and lets you check them out with a click.
• Guided initialization: prompts to set up Git Flow in the current repo and configure branch/tag prefixes.
• Installation helpers: detects when git-flow-next is missing and offers Homebrew install or docs.
• Settings-driven behavior: finish/update strategies, fast-forward, tagging, branch retention, remote selection, GPG signing, and more.
• Recovery commands to continue or abort a finish after conflicts.

Requirements

• Git Flow Next CLI available on your PATH.
  macOS/Homebrew: brew install gittower/tap/git-flow-next
• A Git repository opened as your workspace folder in VS Code.

Install the extension

1. Install the Git Flow Next CLI (see above).
2. Install the extension (from VSIX or VS Marketplace, if published).
3. Reload VS Code.

Quick start (in VS Code)

1. Open a Git repo.
2. Run Git Flow Next: Initialize Git Flow (from the welcome view or Command Palette).
3. Start work, e.g. Git Flow Next: Feature: Start, then finish with Git Flow Next: Feature: Finish.
4. Use the Git Flow Next activity bar icon to browse branches and check them out.

Command highlights

• Initialize & config: Initialize Git Flow, Show Installation Instructions, Configure Git Flow, Show Overview.
• Branch lifecycle: start/finish/list/checkout/delete/rename/update for feature, release, hotfix, support, bugfix.
• Shorthands (auto-detect current branch type): Finish Current Branch, Update Current Branch, Rebase Current Branch, Delete Current Branch, Rename Current Branch, Publish Current Branch.
• Finish recovery: Finish: Continue (after resolving conflicts), Finish: Abort Operation.

Sidebar view

• Activity bar container: Git Flow Next → Overview.
• Shows branch types; expanding a type lists branches and lets you checkout.
• Shows welcome/installation/init guidance when the CLI is missing or Git Flow isn’t initialized.

Settings (selected)

• Finish strategy per type: merge, rebase, squash, or use-git-config.
• Update strategy per type: merge, rebase, or use-git-config.
• Fast-forward preference per type: no-ff, ff, or use-git-config.
• Tagging: enable/disable per type, tag prefix, GPG signing, prompt for tag message.
• Branch retention: delete/keep/keep-local/keep-remote/use-git-config, plus forceDelete.
• Start points and remote selection, optional fetch-before-start.

All settings live under gitFlowNext.* in VS Code settings.

Troubleshooting

• “git-flow-next is not installed”: Install via Homebrew or open the instructions link shown in the prompt.
• “Not in a git repository”: Open a folder that contains a .git directory.
• Commands hidden: The extension hides actions when Git Flow isn’t initialized or when no branches of that type exist; initialize or create a branch first.

Development

Prereqs: Node 16+, npm.

npm install
npm run esbuild

License

MIT (see LICENSE).

For any problems you can contact us at support@git-tower.com