IGL vs GitLens: different jobs
GitLens is a code archaeology tool. Interactive Git Log is a workflow tool. Here's an honest breakdown of where each one shines — and why they're not really competitors.
The short version
GitLens answers questions about code that already exists: who wrote this line, when, in which commit, as part of what change. Its inline blame, hovers, and history views are best-in-class, and its 50M+ installs are well earned.
Interactive Git Log is about the Git work you do all day: seeing your branches as a tree, committing, rebasing with one click, resolving conflicts with a checklist, and cleaning up commits before review. It's a smartlog-style workflow surface that GitLens doesn't attempt.
Feature by feature
| Capability | Interactive Git Log | GitLens |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Visual Git workflow | Code annotations & history |
| Price | Completely free | Free core; Commit Graph & more need Pro |
| Branch tree of your work | ✓ Core feature, free | Commit Graph (Pro) |
| One-click rebase from the tree | ✓ | — |
| Visual stack editing (reorder / squash / drop) | ✓ Stack editor | Rebase todo-file editor |
| Conflict checklist during rebase | ✓ | — |
| Inline blame & CodeLens | — | ✓ Best in class |
| File / line history search | — | ✓ |
One nuance worth naming: GitLens does include a free interactive rebase editor — a friendlier UI for the rebase todo file. IGL's stack editor goes a step further by starting from your branch tree: you never invoke a rebase or touch a todo file; you describe the end state and IGL runs the rebase.
Which should you install?
If you spend your time understanding existing code — large legacy codebase, lots of "why is this here?" — GitLens first. If your friction is the daily mechanics of branching, rebasing, and keeping history clean, IGL first. And since both are free to start and coexist happily, the genuinely common answer is install both and let each do its job.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use GitLens and IGL at the same time?
Yes — they occupy different parts of VS Code and don't conflict. A common setup is GitLens for inline blame and file history, IGL for branching, rebasing, and committing.
Is Interactive Git Log really fully free?
Yes. Every IGL feature is free — there is no Pro tier, no account, and no locked views. GitLens's core annotations are also free, but its Commit Graph and several workflow views require a paid GitLens Pro subscription.
Does IGL do inline blame?
No — code annotations are GitLens's specialty, and it does them extremely well. IGL focuses on the workflow side: the branch tree, rebasing, and stack editing.