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World desk3 min

I Built a Chrome Extension to Show Which Git Branch Is Serving Each Localhost Port

Branchport aims to connect localhost ports with their Git worktrees and branches in Chrome, with a local helper and Node.js 20+ requirement, according to its store listing.
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Branchport is a Chrome extension designed to show which Git worktree and branch is serving each localhost port. Its Chrome Web Store listing describes browser labels, branch-prefixed tab titles, and tab grouping by worktree, alongside a list of local development servers and their port and process details. The listing also says it can open a server’s folder in an editor, Terminal, or Finder, and stop a server. These are the developer’s advertised features; they have not been independently tested here.

Why a branch-to-port map is useful

When several local versions of the same project are running, a port number alone may not make it obvious which branch is behind a browser tab. That becomes especially relevant with Git worktrees: Git lets one repository have multiple working directories, so you can check out and work on more than one branch at a time.

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Git’s git worktree list command reports each worktree’s path and revision, along with its checked-out branch or detached-HEAD state. That Git-level information provides useful context for a browser-side view of local servers, but a port number by itself does not prove which files a server has loaded.

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What Branchport says it does

Branchport’s Chrome Web Store listing describes several ways to surface local server information:

  • Show labels on localhost pages and prefix browser tab titles with the branch.
  • Group tabs by worktree.
  • List local development servers with port and process details.
  • Warn when a worktree has more than one port.
  • Offer actions to open a server folder in an editor, Terminal, or Finder, or to stop a server safely.

The listing presents these as features of the extension and its local helper. It does not establish that identifying a process’s working directory guarantees which code a server is serving in every setup.

Requirements and published availability details

According to the Chrome Web Store listing, Branchport requires installing a local helper with npx branchport install and requires Node.js 20 or newer. The listing says it supports macOS, Linux, and Windows. It reports version 0.3.0 and an update date of September 26, 2026; those details can change, so check the listing for current availability and requirements.

The developer says data stays on the user’s computer and discloses that it does not collect or use user data. Those are the developer’s published privacy claims, not the result of an independent privacy audit. See the Branchport Chrome Web Store listing.

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How this differs from Chrome DevTools workspace connection

Chrome DevTools has a separate localhost feature for connecting a project folder as a workspace. When DevTools is open on a localhost page, it can request /.well-known/appspecific/com.chrome.devtools.json. The documented JSON provides a project root and UUID so DevTools can connect to a workspace folder; Chrome also notes that local access may require user permission.

That feature concerns connecting DevTools to project files. Chrome’s documentation does not describe it as identifying which Git branch serves a port, so it is not a documented substitute for Branchport’s advertised branch-to-port view. Chrome DevTools documentation on local server workspace discovery.

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Other worktree-oriented tooling

GitPortree is a Visual Studio Code extension whose marketplace listing describes worktree management, service port assignment, and branch-based interface colors. That makes it an adjacent option for developers who want worktree and port features in the editor rather than a browser extension. The listing alone does not establish how the two tools compare in practice.

A macOS app called Galactic has also been described in a side-project post as routing local domains to services in Git worktrees. That is anecdotal context rather than independent verification of its capabilities. GitPortree on Visual Studio Marketplace · Galactic side-project discussion.

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What to check before relying on a port label

  • Confirm that the server process and worktree shown by the tool match your project setup.
  • When a port or branch looks wrong, verify the server’s working directory and the app’s own configuration rather than treating the port number as proof of loaded code.
  • Use Git’s git worktree list to inspect worktree paths and checked-out branches independently. Git worktree documentation.

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