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Show HN: Retcon – A macOS Git client for instantly rewriting history
I really like interactive rebases in Git, but always thought they took too much time and effort. There are tools that make them a lot nicer, like magit or GitUp, but they still ask a lot of you.
So over the last two years I built Retcon. In the app, you can manipulate history directly (e.g. drag a commit to a different spot) at all times; even when there’s a conflict waiting for resolution, you can always keep making changes. You're not asked to first make a rebase TODO and then commit to it.
So you no longer need to think too much ahead: you just make the changes you have in mind, see what that results in, and iterate on the spot. I think it really lowers the mental load of doing a rebase; most of the time you don't really think about it, you just do it.
You also can undo almost anything with ⌘Z. Like a commit deletion, sure, but also a conflict resolution: so you never have to start the rebase over if you make a mistake, you just go one step back. Once again, that both saves you a lot of time, and mental load.
Undo even works for remote pushes, which is handy. (and is safe, using a custom “force push with lease” variant)
I hope you like it! The app has a two-week free trial, and is paid after that (currently 25% off for launch). I’m really curious to hear if Retcon does feel faster/freeing to you, as intended.
- MissTake 2y agoA $37.49/$49.99 subscription is one heck of a high price for an app that’s basically a one-trick pony that may get used a few times a year. I don’t mind paying for apps myself - even subscriptions - but this one’s a hard pass from me.
- jjbickerstaffe 2y agoThat's a yearly price, not monthly, so not really a high price. If a professional developer saves one hour per year with this tool it's already paid for itself.
- fyolnish 2y agoIf that developer bothers to go have their boss pay for it. I’m not going to subscribe to something that ‘may save my ass someday’, but I would buy it for my arsenal because that someday might be a year and one day from the time of purchase (Also: Fork has a decent interactive rebase with drag and drop and is a one time purchase. Probably not as slick as this though)