Improve your Git workflow in PowerShell on Windows with Autocomplete

In this blog post, I will show you how to add Git autocomplete functionality to your PowerShell terminal on Windows. This feature will help you streamline your workflow by allowing you to autocomplete Git commands and branch names, saving you time and minimizing the possibility of typing errors.

Let's dive into the step-by-step guide, and by the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to experience the power of Git autocomplete in your PowerShell sessions.

Step 1: Install Posh-Git

Posh-Git is a PowerShell module that provides Git integration, including autocomplete functionality.

To install Posh-Git, open a PowerShell terminal with administrator rights and run the following command:

Install-Module posh-git -Scope CurrentUser

Step 2: Load Posh-Git in your PowerShell session

To load the Posh-Git module in your current PowerShell session, execute the following command:

Import-Module posh-git

Now autocomplete should work in this PowerShell session. Try it out by typing git che and pressing the "Tab" key to see the suggestions for git checkout.

Step 3: Add Posh-Git to your PowerShell profile

To load Posh-Git every time you start a new PowerShell session, you'll need to add it to your PowerShell profile. First, check if you already have a profile:

Test-Path $profile

If the output is "False," you'll need to create a new profile by running:

New-Item -ItemType File -Path $profile -Force

Now, open your PowerShell profile with your preferred text editor, such as Visual Studio Code:

code $profile

Add the following line to your PowerShell profile. If you already have content in your profile, you can add this line to the end of the file:

Import-Module posh-git

Save and close the file. The next time you open a new PowerShell session, Posh-Git will be automatically loaded.

Step 4: Test Git autocomplete

To verify that Git autocomplete is working, open a new PowerShell session, navigate to a Git repository, and start typing a Git command. Press the "Tab" key to cycle through available autocomplete suggestions.

For example, try typing git che and press "Tab" to see the suggestions for git checkout.

Conclusion

That's it! You've successfully added Git autocomplete to your PowerShell terminal, making your Git workflow faster, more efficient, and less error-prone.