FAQ

Questions, answered

Something missing? Ask on GitHub.

What is Branchdial?

Branchdial is a free, open-source desktop git client and terminal for Windows, macOS and Linux, made by ShapeTwo. It turns your git workflows into one-click buttons that type each command into a real terminal, so you always see what runs.

Where does the name Branchdial come from?

It joins two words: branch, as in a git branch, and dial, as in a panel of buttons you press. Branchdial puts your git branch workflows on a dial of one-click buttons.

Is Branchdial free?

Yes. It is MIT licensed, with no paid tier and no account. Use it at work, fork it, ship it.

Does it replace git or my terminal?

No. Branchdial runs the git you already have, inside a real terminal running your own shell. You can type in it like any other terminal. The buttons just type for you.

Is my code or data sent anywhere?

No. Everything runs locally. There is no telemetry or analytics, and the only network traffic comes from the git commands you run against the remotes you configured.

Read the privacy policy

Can it push to my repo without asking?

Only when you click a button whose recipe pushes, and you see the push command as it runs. Pushes to protected branches and any force-push stop for confirmation first, and you can require confirmation on any step.

Which shells are supported?

PowerShell, Command Prompt, Git Bash and WSL on Windows; zsh, bash and fish on macOS and Linux. Branchdial uses your default shell unless you pick another in settings.

Can my team share buttons?

Yes. Recipes are YAML files. Commit a .branchdial/ folder to your repository and everyone who opens it gets the same buttons, reviewed in pull requests like any other code.

Can I use my existing git aliases?

Yes. Branchdial reads the [alias] section of your .gitconfig and offers to turn each alias into a button. Your aliases keep working in the terminal as before.

How do I report bugs or contribute?

Open an issue or a pull request on GitHub. For bugs, include your OS, shell and the recipe that misbehaved. Recipe contributions to the built-in library are very welcome.

Open an issue on GitHub