Microsoft/vscode

Git - Use `git mv` when moving and renaming files

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#273,757 opened on Oct 28, 2025

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 (2 comments) (0 reactions) (1 assignee)TypeScript (39,847 forks)batch import
AndroidGood first issueNight ModeUIfeature-requestgithelp wanted

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Description

Currently moving and renaming files through the vscode explorer results in git detecting it as a file removal and file addition, even though git has the git mv command which keeps the history of the file.

So it would be nice if renaming and moving a file through the vscode explorer uses git mv when used in a workspace with a git repository.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate how VS Code's explorer handles file rename/move operations and how the git extension integrates. Look at the source code for the `explorer.moveFileTo` and `explorer.renameFile` commands. Determine where `git mv` can be invoked instead of the current delete+add approach. Check the git extension's commands like `git.move` or `git.rename`.
Tech stack
typescript
Domain
developer experiencetooling
Issue type
Feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
GitTypeScriptVSCode extension API
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60