How to Set Up Git with Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a powerful and widely used code editor, and it has excellent support for Git, making it an ideal tool for version control. Setting up Git in VS Code enables you to manage repositories, create branches, commit changes, and collaborate on projects—all within the editor. In this post, we’ll walk through the process of installing and configuring Git with VS Code, along with some essential features to enhance your workflow.

Prerequisites

To get started, you’ll need:

1. Visual Studio Code: If you haven’t already, download and install Visual Studio Code.
2. Git: Download and install Git if it’s not already on your system.

Once you have both tools installed, you can set up Git within VS Code.

Step 1: Verify Git Installation

After installing Git, you’ll want to make sure it’s set up correctly on your system. Open a terminal and type:

git --version

If Git is installed properly, you’ll see the version number, such as git version 2.35.0. If you receive an error, ensure Git is correctly installed and added to your system path.

Step 2: Configure Git in the Terminal

Before using Git with VS Code, it’s essential to set your user information, as Git uses this data for each commit. Open a terminal in VS Code or your system’s command line, and configure your username and email:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

This will set your global Git identity. You can change this on a per-project basis if needed by omitting --global from the commands.

Step 3: Configure Git in VS Code

With Git installed and configured, open VS Code, and it should automatically detect Git on your system. You can verify Git’s integration with VS Code by looking for the Source Control view in the Activity Bar on the left side (the icon looks like a branch).

If Git is detected, you’ll see an option to Initialize Repository or Clone Repository. If not, go to:

1. File > Preferences > Settings (or press Ctrl + ,).
2. Type git.path into the search bar.
3. If Git is not detected, you may need to specify the full path to the git executable. For example, on Windows, it may be located at C:\Program Files\Git\bin\git.exe.

Step 4: Open or Clone a Git Repository in VS Code

Option 1: Initialize a New Repository

If you’re starting a new project:

1. Open your project folder in VS Code.
2. Click on the Source Control icon in the Activity Bar.
3. Click Initialize Repository. This will create a .git folder in your project, enabling Git for that folder.

Option 2: Clone an Existing Repository

To clone an existing repository:

1. Open the Source Control view in VS Code.
2. Click on Clone Repository.
3. Enter the repository URL (e.g., from GitHub or GitLab) and press Enter.
4. Select a folder to save the repository locally.

VS Code will download the repository, and you’ll see all files and commit history in the editor.

Step 5: Basic Git Operations in VS Code

With Git enabled in VS Code, you can now perform essential Git operations right from the editor.

1. Stage Changes

When you modify files, VS Code will show the changes under the Source Control view. Click the + icon next to each file to stage the changes, or click the + icon in the Source Control header to stage all changes at once.

2. Commit Changes

After staging your changes, you can commit them:

1. In the Source Control view, enter a commit message in the input box.
2. Click the checkmark Commit icon to commit the changes.

3. Push and Pull Changes

To sync your commits with a remote repository:

• Push: Click the … icon in the Source Control view and select Push to upload your commits to the remote repository.
• Pull: To get the latest changes from the remote repository, select Pull from the … menu.

Step 6: Working with Branches

Branches are essential for managing features, bug fixes, and different versions of your codebase. To work with branches in VS Code:

1. Click on the current branch name in the bottom-left corner of VS Code.
2. Select Create New Branch to start a new branch.
3. Enter a name for the branch and press Enter.

You can also switch between branches from this menu. When you’re ready, you can push the new branch to your remote repository by selecting Push Branch.

Step 7: Viewing Git History

VS Code doesn’t display a complete commit history by default, but there are extensions to enhance this capability. Some popular options include:

• GitLens: This extension provides an enhanced Git history, showing changes line-by-line and who made each change. To install:

1. Go to Extensions in VS Code (icon looks like a square on the Activity Bar).
2. Search for GitLens and install it.
3. After installing, you can view the Git history, blame annotations, and more within your project.

• Git Graph: This extension provides a visual graph of commits, making it easy to track branching and merging.

Step 8: Set Up SSH for Seamless Authentication (Optional)

For frequent GitHub or GitLab users, setting up SSH keys can streamline the authentication process.

1. Open a terminal and run:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

Follow the prompts to create an SSH key pair.

2. Copy the public key by running:

   cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

3. Go to your GitHub/GitLab account settings and paste the key in the SSH Keys section.

Once configured, you can clone and push to repositories without needing to enter your username and password each time.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues with Git in VS Code, here are some quick solutions:

• Git Not Found: If Git isn’t detected, make sure it’s installed and added to your system path. You may need to restart VS Code after installation.
• Authentication Issues: For repositories requiring authentication, using SSH keys instead of HTTPS can reduce login prompts.
• Extension Conflicts: If Git-related extensions cause conflicts, try disabling them one at a time to identify the issue.

Summary

By setting up Git with Visual Studio Code, you gain a seamless, integrated workflow for version control, making it easier to manage repositories, track changes, and collaborate with your team.

Key Steps Recap:

1. Install Git and Configure User Settings: Ensure Git is installed and configure user information.
2. Enable Git in VS Code: Verify Git is detected, and initialize or clone a repository.
3. Stage, Commit, and Push Changes: Manage your code changes directly in the editor.
4. Install Git Extensions: Use GitLens or Git Graph for enhanced Git history and visualization.

With these steps, you’re ready to work with Git in VS Code and take full advantage of Git’s powerful version control capabilities.