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Git without the terminal

VS Code has Git built in. You can do everything with clicks instead of commands.

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The Source Control panel

Look at the left sidebar in VS Code. You’ll see this icon:
  • Source Control icon (looks like a branch)
  • Shows all your changed files
  • One-click commits

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Basic workflow

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1. See your changes

Open the Source Control panel:
  • Changed files appear under “Changes”
  • Click any file to see what changed
  • Green lines = added
  • Red lines = removed

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2. Stage changes

Before committing, you “stage” files:
  • Hover over a file
  • Click the + icon
  • Or click + next to “Changes” to stage everything

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3. Commit

Once files are staged:
  1. Type a message in the text box
  2. Press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter (or click ✓)
That’s a commit!

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4. Push to GitHub

After committing:
  • Click the … menu in Source Control
  • Click “Push”
  • Or click the sync icon in the bottom status bar

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Visual features

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See changes inline

  • Modified files show a colored bar in the editor
  • Click the bar to see what changed
  • Blue = modified, Green = added, Red = deleted

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Common VS Code Git tasks

  1. Open your project folder
  2. Open Source Control panel
  3. Click “Initialize Repository”
  4. That’s it! Your project now uses Git
  1. Press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P
  2. Type “Git: Clone”
  3. Paste the GitHub URL
  4. Choose where to save
  5. VS Code opens it automatically
  1. Create new file: .gitignore
  2. VS Code suggests common patterns
  3. Or use Python template:
.venv/
.env
__pycache__/
*.pyc
.vscode/
.DS_Store
Made a mistake? Undo changes:
  1. In Source Control panel
  2. Right-click the file
  3. Select “Discard Changes”
  4. Confirms before reverting

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Sync button magic

The status bar shows a sync button:
  • ↓ 3 means “3 commits to pull”
  • ↑ 2 means “2 commits to push”
  • Click it to sync everything

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Tips for beginners

  1. Commit often: Every small feature or fix
  2. Write clear messages: “Fix login bug” not “changes”
  3. Pull before starting: Get latest changes first
  4. Don’t commit secrets: Check your .gitignore
Never commit .env files or API keys! Always add them to .gitignore first.

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Terminal vs UI

Both work! Use what feels comfortable:
TaskTerminalVS Code UI
Stage filesgit add .Click + icon
Commitgit commit -m "message"Type message + Enter
Pushgit pushClick sync
Pullgit pullClick sync

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What’s next?

Now you know Git! Let’s learn about environment variables and keeping secrets safe.

Environment & secrets

Keep your API keys safe