pygitzen

A Python-native Terminal-Based Git Client - Navigate and manage your Git repositories with a beautiful TUI interface inspired by LazyGit.

What is pygitzen?

pygitzen is a terminal-based user interface (TUI) for Git repositories. Think of it as a Python-native alternative to LazyGit. It provides a visual, intuitive way to navigate your Git repositories directly in the terminal, without needing external Git CLI tools.

Features

• Terminal-Based UI: Beautiful TUI interface built with Textual and Rich
• Pure Python: Uses dulwich library - no external git CLI required for core operations
• Real-Time Updates: Live view of your Git repository status
• Multi-Panel Interface: Status, Staged Changes, Changes, Branches, Commits, Patch, Stash, and Command Log
• Branch-Aware: Shows commits specific to the selected branch
• Push Status: Visual indicators for commits pushed/unpushed to remote
• File Status Detection: Automatically detects modified, staged, untracked, and deleted files
• Gitignore Support: Respects .gitignore rules automatically
• Dark Theme: Easy-on-the-eyes color scheme with focus highlighting
• Keyboard Navigation: Efficient vim-style navigation (j/k, h/l)
• Auto-Refresh: Patch panel updates automatically when navigating commits

Installation

pip install pygitzen

Requirements

• Python 3.9 or higher
• A Git repository

Note for source installations: If you're installing from source (when no pre-built wheel is available for your platform), pip will automatically install Cython during the build process. No manual steps required!

Quick Start

1. Navigate to any Git repository:

   cd /path/to/your/git/repo
   

2. Launch pygitzen:

   pygitzen
   

That's it! pygitzen will automatically detect the Git repository and display your repository status.

Where to Use pygitzen

pygitzen is perfect for:

• Local Development: Quickly see what files you've changed, what's staged, and review commits
• Remote Servers: Works great over SSH - no GUI needed
• Code Reviews: Browse commit history and view diffs in the terminal
• Branch Management: See branch-specific commits and push status
• File Tracking: Monitor staged and unstaged changes side-by-side (VSCode-style)

Interface Overview

pygitzen displays your Git repository in a multi-panel interface:

Left Column

1. Status Panel: Current branch name and repository information
2. Staged Changes: Files with staged changes (green indicators - M, A, D)
3. Changes: Files with unstaged modifications (yellow indicators - M, U)
4. Branches: List of all local branches - select to switch branches
5. Commits: Commit history for the selected branch
6. Stash: Placeholder for stashed changes (coming soon)

Right Column

7. Patch Panel: Shows commit diff when a commit is selected
8. Command Log: Tips and helpful messages

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigation

• j / ↓: Move down
• k / ↑: Move up
• h / ←: Move left
• l / →: Move right
• Enter: Select item
• Tab: Cycle through panels

Actions

• r: Refresh repository data
• q: Quit application
• @: Toggle Command Log panel

Focus Navigation

• Click on a panel to focus it
• Focused panels have green borders

File Status Indicators

pygitzen uses Git-standard status letters:

Examples

Viewing Commit History

1. Launch pygitzen in a Git repository
2. Navigate to Commits panel (use Tab or click)
3. Use j/k or arrow keys to navigate commits
4. Patch panel automatically shows the diff for selected commit

Switching Branches

1. Navigate to Branches panel
2. Use j/k or arrow keys to select a branch
3. Press Enter or click to switch
4. Commits panel updates to show branch-specific commits

Monitoring File Changes

• Staged Changes panel shows files ready to commit (green indicators)
• Changes panel shows files with unstaged modifications (yellow indicators)
• Files with both staged and unstaged changes appear in both panels (VSCode-style)

Key Features Explained

Branch-Specific Commits

When you select a branch, pygitzen shows only commits unique to that branch. This means:

• On main: Shows all commits from main
• On feature-branch: Shows only commits that don't exist in main (unique to the branch)

This makes it easy to see what's new in your feature branch without scrolling through shared history.

Push Status

Each commit displays its push status:

• ✓ (green): Commit has been pushed to remote
• ↑ (yellow): Commit exists only locally

This helps you track which commits need to be pushed.

Auto-Updating Patch Panel

The Patch panel automatically updates when you navigate commits:

• Use arrow keys or j/k to navigate
• Patch panel shows diff immediately (no need to press Enter)
• Visual highlighting shows which commit is selected

Technical Details

Dependencies

• Textual: Modern TUI framework for Python
• Rich: Rich text and beautiful formatting
• dulwich: Pure-Python Git implementation

How It Works

pygitzen reads directly from the .git directory using dulwich:

• No external git CLI calls required
• Direct access to Git objects, refs, and index
• Fast and efficient for most operations

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Repository: GitHub

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Made with ❤️ for developers who love terminal UIs