VisualJJ
Beta Version

Getting Started with VisualJJ

Jujutsu version control in Visual Studio Code

Welcome to VisualJJ! This guide will help you quickly start using VisualJJ in Visual Studio Code, harnessing the simplicity and power of Jujutsu for your version control needs. In just a few simple steps, you'll be making changes, sharing them for review, and shipping them to your main branch on GitHub.

If you don't have VisualJJ yet, search for "visualjj" in the extensions marketplace and click "Install".

Install VisualJJ

Why VisualJJ?

VisualJJ is built on Jujutsu which simplifies many of the complex concepts found in traditional version control systems.

  • There’s no need to worry about staging or indexes — every change you make is automatically part of a commit.
  • Rebase operations are the norm, helping you maintain a clean and linear project history.
  • Conflicts can be resolved on your own time, without disrupting your workflow.

Step 0: Open Git Repository

Before we begin, make sure you've cloned a repository from GitHub or another Git provider and opened it in Visual Studio Code. VisualJJ will offer to initialize Jujutsu when you open a repository for the first time.

Step 1: Make a Change

Let's make your first change by creating or editing a file and describing what you’ve done. VisualJJ will automatically track your modifications as part of the current commit.

  • Navigate to the file you want to modify within your repository.
  • Make your desired changes and save the file.
  • Enter brief description of your changes and click the plus button.

VisualJJ will save the description and create a new empty commit above – for the next set of changes. You can always come back to the previous commit by double-clicking on it.

Features 02

Step 2: Share for Review

Now that you’ve made your change, let's share it with your colleagues by creating a Pull Request (PR).

  • Right click on the commit and select "Create Pull Request".
  • Click the "Needs Review" label to open the PR in web browser.
  • Add more details if needed and select reviewers.

Your change is now shared for review. If you need to modify your commits, simply make the changes and click the "Push" button in VisualJJ. The PR on GitHub will be updated with your new commits.

Features 03

Step 3: Ship it!

Once your change is reviewed, it’s time to ship it to the main branch and clean up your workspace.

  • Right click on the commit and select "Merge Pull Request".
  • Click the "Fetch" button to download updated main branch.
  • Click "+ Commit" button on main branch to start a new change.

You are ready to start working on the next change!

Feel free to delete the merged commit to clean up your workspace - it's part of the main branch now. Right click on it and select "More... / Abandon Commit". GitHub project can also be configured to do this cleanup automatically.

Features 02

Explore More Features

Congratulations! You've successfully made, shared, and shipped your first change using VisualJJ. This is just the beginning—VisualJJ offers a range of powerful features designed to make version control easier and more efficient. For example, handling conflicting changes is much simpler and more intuitive compared to Git, allowing you to resolve conflicts at your convenience.

Work without Pull Requests

Depending on your workflow, you might not need Pull Requests at all. VisualJJ allows you to ship changes to the main branch directly, in one click. Use "Rebase and Merge" command in the context menu and it will do all the steps necessary to get your changes into the main branch.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@visualjj.com.