GitDB terminal

The GitDB terminal is a built-in VS Code terminal for git-style commands. Every command runs on GitDB against the repository you're connected to, and nothing is cloned to your computer.

Open the terminalCopy Anchor Link

Run GitDB: Open Terminal from the Command Palette, or click the terminal icon in the Files view's title bar. A terminal named GitDB opens with this greeting:

GitDB terminal — server-side git commands (no local clone).
Type 'help' for commands (the leading 'git' is optional). clone/push/pull are not applicable here.

The prompt shows the repository and current branch, like organization/name:main$. The terminal always works on the repository you're connected to right now. If you switch repositories, an open terminal follows the switch. If you're not connected, commands reply Not connected. Connect to a GitDB repo (or switch to one) first.

CommandsCopy Anchor Link

Type help (or ?) to see the command list:

GitDB commands (server-side, no local files) — a leading "git" is optional:
  status                 staged changes on the current branch
  log [n]                recent commits (default 20)
  show <ref>             a commit: metadata + tree
  diff <from> <to>       changed files between two refs
  ls [path]              list a directory at the current branch
  cat <path>             print a file (first 500 lines)
  grep <pattern>         search file contents
  branches               list branches
  tags                   list tags
  branch <name>          create a branch from the current branch
  tag <name>             create a tag at the current branch
  commit -m "message"    commit the staged changes
  merge <branch>         merge <branch> into the current branch
  clear                  clear the screen
  help                   this help
Not applicable (GitDB keeps code server-side): clone, push, pull, fetch.

A leading git is optional, so git log 5 and log 5 do the same thing. To pass an argument that contains spaces, such as a commit message, wrap it in double quotes.

How the commands behaveCopy Anchor Link

• status lists only staged changes on the current branch. Changes you haven't staged don't appear.
• log [n] shows the most recent commits on the current branch, 20 by default. Each line shows the short ID, the date, the author, and the first line of the message.
• show <ref> prints a commit's ID, author, date, parent, message, and file tree.
• diff <from> <to> lists the files that changed between two refs and what kind of change each one had. It doesn't print line-by-line differences.
• ls [path] lists a directory on the current branch. Folder names end with /.
• cat <path> prints the first 500 lines of a file on the current branch.
• grep <pattern> searches file contents on the current branch and prints path:line: text for each match. Long results end with … (truncated).
• branches and tags list branches or tags, each with its short commit ID.
• branch <name> creates a branch from the current branch. You stay on the current branch.
• tag <name> creates a tag at the current branch's latest commit.
• commit -m "message" commits only your staged changes. This is different from the Source Control commit, which commits everything when nothing is staged. If nothing is staged, the terminal tells you to stage your changes first. Stage them in the Source Control view (see Edit and commit).
• merge <branch> merges <branch> into the current branch and prints the result: success, fast_forward, already_up_to_date, or conflicts. If it reports conflicts, nothing was merged. See Merging.
• clear clears the screen.

After you commit, branch, tag, or merge from the terminal, run GitDB: Refresh to update the GitDB views and Source Control.

Commands that don't applyCopy Anchor Link

GitDB keeps your code on GitDB, not on your computer, so clone, push, pull, and fetch have nothing to do here. If you type one, the terminal replies:

'push' is not applicable — GitDB keeps all code server-side (no local clone). Use commit / branch / tag / merge, which run against the server.

Any other unknown command gets gitdb: '<command>' is not a command. Type 'help'.

KeysCopy Anchor Link

• Up and Down move through the commands you've already run.
• Ctrl+C clears the line you're typing.
• Backspace deletes the last character.