PullPreview

Overview

PullPreview is a cross-platform desktop application designed to streamline the developer workflow by providing a real-time, local preview of Git differences. It allows developers to visualize changes between their current working branch (including uncommitted modifications) and a selected target branch before creating a formal pull request. The application offers a minimal, modern, and intuitive interface that mimics the core diff-viewing experience of platforms like GitHub/GitLab but operates entirely locally.

Platform & Technology

• Supported OS: macOS, Windows, and Linux
• Built with: Electron.js
• Current version: 1.0.0

Features

Repository Selection & Validation

• Select any Git repository on your file system
• Validation ensures the selected folder contains a valid .git directory
• The application remembers your last opened repository and target branch for convenience

Branch Selection

• Automatically detects and displays your current active branch
• Select any target branch for comparison from a dropdown menu
• Supports both local and remote-tracking branches
• Remembers your last selected target branch between sessions

Git Diff Preview Display

• Real-time display of differences between your working branch and the target branch
• Clear, scrollable view of all changed files with expandable/collapsible sections
• Visual indicators for additions and deletions with appropriate color coding
• Syntax highlighting using the Hack monospaced font for improved readability
• Supports multiple sort options (Last Modified, A-Z, Z-A)

Auto-Refresh Functionality

• Configure automatic refresh in settings
• When enabled, the diff view updates automatically when:
  • Local files change in your repository
  • Remote changes are detected on the target branch
• Manual refresh button (or keyboard shortcut ⌘R) available when auto-refresh is disabled

External Editor Integration

• Click on any file in the diff view to open it in your preferred editor
• Configure your preferred editor in settings (system default, VS Code, Sublime Text, Atom, or custom)
• Seamlessly transition from reviewing changes to making edits

User Interface

• Modern, clean design that follows desktop application standards
• Full support for both light and dark modes across all platforms
• Clear header showing current branch and target branch
• Responsive layout that adapts to different window sizes
• Keyboard shortcuts for common operations (⌘N for new window, ⌘O for open repository, ⌘R for refresh, ⌘, for settings)

Technical Details

• Built with Electron.js for cross-platform compatibility
• Uses simple-git for reliable Git integration
• File system monitoring via chokidar for real-time updates
• Persistence of preferences and recently used repositories
• Graceful error handling for all Git operations and edge cases
• Full app state persistence between sessions

Installation & Usage

Prerequisites

• Git must be installed and accessible in your PATH
• Node.js 16+ (if building from source)

Download & Install

Download the latest version for your platform from the releases page.

Running from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/truefrontier/pullpreview-app.git

# Install dependencies
cd pullpreview-app
npm install

# Start the application
npm start

# For development with hot reloading
npm run dev

Building from Source

# Build for your current platform
npm run build

# Package the application
npm run pack

# Generate macOS icons (macOS only)
npm run generate-icons

Keyboard Shortcuts

• ⌘N - Open new window
• ⌘O - Open repository
• ⌘R - Refresh diff
• ⌘, - Open settings
• ⌘+ / ⌘- - Zoom in/out

Roadmap

See our ROADMAP.md file for upcoming features and enhancements.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.