Problem

VSCode uses CRLF for windows by default, while mac is LF.

When collaborating across platforms, even if save and submit the same file, we will find that it diffs the entire file.

What is CR and LF?

  • LF (Line Feed) stands for \n. On Linux and Mac, this corresponds to the beginning of a new line of text. This distinction is important, because Windows does not follow this convention.
  • CR（Carriage Return） stands for \r. Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line. The download progress bar on your terminal is achieved through CR. By using the carriage return character, your terminal can animate the text by returning the cursor to the beginning of the current line and overwriting any previously rendered text.

Solutions

Convert files Configuration set by Git

Referance: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1967370/git-replacing-lf-with-crlf

The value of core.autocrlf needs to be configured manually, due to the default is false on Windows.

The problem can be partially solved by configuring it as true/input.
input is better.


It only works for new files, the existing CRLF files in the repository are still CRLF.


Use VSCode plugin EditorConfig for VS Code

Install VSCode plugin EditorConfig for VS Code and create configuration file .editorconfig.
It can ensure that manually re-save/create files are LF by default, but old ones need to be all re-saved for them to take effect.

  • VSCode plugin EditorConfig for VS Code:

editorconfig-plugin.png

  • Create configuration file .editorconfig:

    root = true

    [*]
    end_of_line = lf

  • Commit the configuration file .editorconfig to the repository.
    The configuration used in my project is like: 

    root = true

    [*]

    charset = utf-8

    indent_style = space

    indent_size = 4

    end_of_line = lf

    insert_final_newline = true

    trim_trailing_whitespace = true


    [*.md]

    insert_final_newline = false

    trim_trailing_whitespace = false


Batch conversion of existing CRLF files to LF

VSCode does not provide a method for batch conversion, only individual file conversion.


We can use Dos2Unix for batch conversion.


  1. Installation package: https://waterlan.home.xs4all.nl/dos2unix/dos2unix-7.4.3-win64.zip

  2. After installation, add it to the environment variable Path

  3. Start cmd, switch to the project directory and execute this command:

    for /R %G in (*.js *.json *.md) do dos2unix "%G"

    *.js *.json *.md used to decide which types of file you need to Convert.


Summary

To All

  • Set the value of autocrlf as input

    git config core.autocrlf input
    git rm --cached -r .
    git reset --hard

  • Install VSCode plugin EditorConfig for VS Code.

To Me

  • Use Dos2Unix to batch convert all existing files from CRLF to LF.
  • Commit all modified files to the repository