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This guide helps you resolve common issues when using neo-git-graph.

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Repository Not Detected

Symptoms:
  • No repositories appear in the dropdown
  • “No Git repository was found” message
  • Git Graph status bar item is missing
Solutions:
1

Verify Git repository

Ensure you’ve opened a folder that contains a .git directory:
ls -la .git
If .git doesn’t exist, initialize a repository:
git init
2

Check workspace folders

Open the Command Palette and run Workspaces: Add Folder to Workspace if your repository is in a subfolder.Neo-git-graph only searches workspace root folders by default.
3

Increase search depth

For nested repositories, increase the search depth in settings:
{
  "neo-git-graph.maxDepthOfRepoSearch": 2
}
  • 0 (default): Only searches workspace root folders
  • 1: Searches one level deep
  • 2+: Searches deeper levels
Higher values may slow down repository detection in large workspaces.
4

Reload VS Code window

Sometimes VS Code needs a refresh:
  • Command Palette → Developer: Reload Window
  • Or close and reopen VS Code

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Git Path Issues

Symptoms:
  • Error: “Git could not be found”
  • Commands fail silently
  • Empty graph view
Solutions:
1

Verify Git installation

Check if Git is installed:
git --version
If not installed:
  • macOS: brew install git or download from git-scm.com
  • Linux: sudo apt install git or sudo yum install git
  • Windows: Download from git-scm.com
2

Configure git.path

If Git is installed but not in PATH, specify the full path:Settings (JSON):
{
  "git.path": "/usr/local/bin/git"
}
Common Git locations:
  • macOS: /usr/local/bin/git or /opt/homebrew/bin/git
  • Linux: /usr/bin/git
  • Windows: C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe
Neo-git-graph uses VS Code’s git.path setting. If the built-in Source Control works, neo-git-graph should work too.
3

Restart VS Code

After changing git.path, restart VS Code completely (not just reload window).
Symptom: Git installed in a path with spaces (e.g., C:\Program Files\Git) doesn’t workSolution:Ensure the path is properly quoted in settings:
{
  "git.path": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe"
}
Neo-git-graph automatically wraps paths with spaces in quotes when executing commands.

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Performance Issues

Symptoms:
  • Graph takes a long time to load
  • VS Code becomes unresponsive
  • High CPU usage
Solutions:Reduce initial commit load:
{
  "neo-git-graph.initialLoadCommits": 200,
  "neo-git-graph.loadMoreCommits": 100
}
Disable uncommitted changes: For large repositories, checking uncommitted changes can be slow:
{
  "neo-git-graph.showUncommittedChanges": false
}
Disable avatars: Fetching avatars requires network requests:
{
  "neo-git-graph.fetchAvatars": false
}
Filter to current branch: Show only the current branch by default:
{
  "neo-git-graph.showCurrentBranchByDefault": true
}
Symptom: New commits don’t appear in the graphSolutions:
  • Click the Refresh button in the Git Graph view
  • The graph auto-refreshes when you commit through VS Code’s Source Control
  • Manual Git commands (terminal) may require manual refresh

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Display Issues

Solutions:Try different graph styles:
{
  "neo-git-graph.graphStyle": "angular"
}
Options: "rounded" (default) or "angular"Adjust graph colors: Some color themes may conflict with graph colors:
{
  "neo-git-graph.graphColours": [
    "#0085d9",
    "#d9008f",
    "#00d90a",
    "#d98500"
  ]
}
Change tab icon: For grayscale themes:
{
  "neo-git-graph.tabIconColourTheme": "grey"
}
Solution:Change the date format:
{
  "neo-git-graph.dateFormat": "Date & Time",
  "neo-git-graph.dateType": "Author Date"
}
Date format options:
  • "Date & Time" - “19 Mar 2019 21:34”
  • "Date Only" - “19 Mar 2019”
  • "Relative" - “5 minutes ago”
Date type options:
  • "Author Date" - When the commit was originally authored
  • "Commit Date" - When the commit was applied (relevant for rebases/cherry-picks)

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Devcontainer Issues

See the Devcontainer Setup guide for detailed troubleshooting.Quick checks:
  1. Git installed in container: git --version
  2. Extension installed in container (not locally)
  3. Repository accessible in container filesystem
  4. Check git.path if Git is in non-standard location

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Avatar Issues

Symptoms:
  • No profile pictures in the graph
  • Generic icons instead of avatars
Solutions:
1

Enable avatar fetching

{
  "neo-git-graph.fetchAvatars": true
}
Enabling avatars sends commit author/committer email addresses to external services (GitHub, GitLab, or Gravatar).
2

Check network connectivity

Avatars require internet access to fetch from:
  • GitHub API
  • GitLab API
  • Gravatar
If behind a proxy, configure VS Code’s proxy settings.
3

Clear avatar cache

If avatars are stale or broken:Command Palette → Neo Git Graph: Clear Avatar CacheThen reload the Git Graph view.

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General Troubleshooting Steps

If you’re experiencing issues not covered above:
1

Check VS Code output

Open the Output panel (View → Output) and select Git from the dropdown.Look for error messages related to Git commands.
2

Test with built-in Git

Verify VS Code’s built-in Source Control works:
  • Open the Source Control view (Ctrl+Shift+G)
  • Check if it detects your repository
  • Try making a commit
If Source Control doesn’t work, fix that first - neo-git-graph uses the same Git configuration.
3

Reset extension settings

Reset neo-git-graph settings to defaults:
  1. Open Settings (Ctrl+,)
  2. Search for neo-git-graph
  3. Click the gear icon → Reset Setting on each setting
  4. Reload VS Code window
4

Check for extension conflicts

Disable other Git extensions temporarily to rule out conflicts:
  • GitLens
  • Git History
  • Other Git visualization tools
Restart VS Code and test neo-git-graph.
5

Report the issue

If the problem persists, report it on GitHub:github.com/asispts/neo-git-graph/issuesInclude:
  • VS Code version
  • neo-git-graph version
  • Operating system
  • Error messages from Output panel
  • Steps to reproduce

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Getting Help

GitHub Issues

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Contributing

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