git pull

A VS Code status bar button that shows how many commits the current repository is behind its upstream branch, and runs git pull when clicked.

What it does

• Adds an item to the right side of the status bar.
• Detects the git repo from the active editor's file, or the workspace folder if no file is open.
• Shows one of:
  • git_pull (N) — N commits behind upstream (red background when behind).
  • git_pull (up to date) — even with upstream.
  • git_pull (no upstream) — branch has no upstream configured.
  • git-pull: no repo — no git repo detected.
• Updates live whenever VS Code's git extension refreshes the repo state (commit, push, pull, manual git activity, or the built-in auto-fetch).
• Click to run git pull in the detected repo. Uses VS Code's built-in git extension so authentication (SSH keys, credential helpers) works the same way the SCM view does.

Keeping the count fresh

This extension never fetches from the remote on its own — that's deliberate, so it can't pop up credential prompts. The behind count refreshes via VS Code's built-in git.autofetch. To get a periodic background refresh, enable it:

"git.autofetch": true,
"git.autofetchPeriod": 180

Without git.autofetch, the count only updates when something else in VS Code talks to git (a commit, a manual fetch, a pull). Clicking the button always runs a real git pull, which is the on-demand way to force a refresh.

Requirements

• VS Code 1.120 or later.
• The built-in vscode.git extension must be enabled (it ships with VS Code by default).

Known limitations

• In a multi-root workspace with multiple git repos, the active editor's repo wins; otherwise the first workspace folder with a git repo is used.
• Only commits-behind is tracked. Local modifications and commits-ahead are shown by VS Code's built-in indicators.