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Nick Taylor Subscriber for VS Code Tips

Posted on • Originally published at community.vscodetips.com

VS Code Tip of the Week: 3-way Merge Editor

If you haven't already, grab the June 2022 Release of VS Code! If you're on Insiders, then there's nothing you need to do.

There are all kinds of goodies in the release, but this week's tip is a new feature that landed in VS Code. The 3-way Merge Editor. 🔥

One thing you'll need to do to enable it is add git.mergeEditor: true to your user settings. If you prefer the GUI for settings, then navigate to the git section.

VS Code command palette with the word settings typed in it showing a filtered list of commands that have the word settings in them

VS Code Settings (GUI) view with the word merge entered in the search to filter settings with the word merge in them

Make sure to check Git: Merge Editor

The Git: Merge Editor user setting checked

And that's it and you are good to go!

Git 3-way merge editor in action in VS Code

Top comments (9)

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randomengy profile image
David Rickard

I really don't like how they are referring to this as a 3-way merge editor. It's a 3-pane merge editor. 3-way merge editors show you the base version as well, with 4 panes total: Left, Base, Right, Result.

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oskarlindgren profile image
Oskar Lindgren

Shameless plug: How to disable the new default (horrible) 3-Way Merge Editor: dev.to/oskarlindgren/vs-code-disab...

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nickytonline profile image
Nick Taylor

To each their own. 😎

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zacharysarette profile image
Zach

Thank you! This is really terrible design.

Why they hell did they force this nonsense on us?

I guess M$ fired all of their UI/UX designers. Just look at Wndows 11.

Looks pretty but works like hot garbage.

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realattila profile image
[ATTILA]

new mege editor is total trash

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pavelzhigulin profile image
Pavel

I actually have no idea why somebody wants to use it. The previous one was just perfect.

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zynth17 profile image
Christopher Reeve

tbh this is better since it's easier to merge between lines. it's the same feature like on the webstorm

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nickytonline profile image
Nick Taylor

Some folks do. I’m in your boat though. I still prefer the old way. Maybe, that’ll change over time.

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cybercyclone profile image
Casey Gibson

It would be good if you show some up-close screenshots showing the ticket box selection next to each conflict. Most people don't get how it works and ends in frustration.

E.g, click the tick box either side of the conflict and it appears below. You can then edit the below box if needed.