From 1928648d59c33fea8d3557382848e54caeabd7be Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Goran Radosevic <goran@kodekloud.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2026 13:44:38 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] ux: option to show staged changes above unstaged changes
 (#2698)

Adds a preference (General > "Show staged changes above unstaged changes",
default off) that swaps the two panes in the Local Changes view. The
stage/unstage arrow buttons follow the layout: with staged on top, stage
points up and unstage points down.

Implemented with bindings on Grid.Row and the icon geometry, no code-behind
changes. English string only.
---
 src/Converters/BoolConverters.cs  | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
 src/Resources/Locales/en_US.axaml |  1 +
 src/ViewModels/Preferences.cs     |  7 +++++++
 src/Views/Preferences.axaml       |  9 +++++++--
 src/Views/WorkingCopy.axaml       | 12 ++++++------
 5 files changed, 39 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/Converters/BoolConverters.cs b/src/Converters/BoolConverters.cs
index 5c5dd9047e..5a917281d7 100644
--- a/src/Converters/BoolConverters.cs
+++ b/src/Converters/BoolConverters.cs
@@ -15,5 +15,23 @@ public static class BoolConverters
 
         public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, IBrush> IsWarningToBrush =
             new(x => x ? Brushes.DarkGoldenrod : Application.Current?.FindResource("Brush.FG1") as IBrush);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, int> IsStagedOnTopToUnstagedRow =
+            new(x => x ? 3 : 1);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, int> IsStagedOnTopToStagedRow =
+            new(x => x ? 1 : 3);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, StreamGeometry> IsStagedOnTopToStageIcon =
+            new(x => Application.Current?.FindResource(x ? "Icons.Up" : "Icons.Down") as StreamGeometry);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, StreamGeometry> IsStagedOnTopToStageAllIcon =
+            new(x => Application.Current?.FindResource(x ? "Icons.DoubleUp" : "Icons.DoubleDown") as StreamGeometry);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, StreamGeometry> IsStagedOnTopToUnstageIcon =
+            new(x => Application.Current?.FindResource(x ? "Icons.Down" : "Icons.Up") as StreamGeometry);
+
+        public static readonly FuncValueConverter<bool, StreamGeometry> IsStagedOnTopToUnstageAllIcon =
+            new(x => Application.Current?.FindResource(x ? "Icons.DoubleDown" : "Icons.DoubleUp") as StreamGeometry);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Resources/Locales/en_US.axaml b/src/Resources/Locales/en_US.axaml
index 76ac9e4dcb..db3fae5925 100644
--- a/src/Resources/Locales/en_US.axaml
+++ b/src/Resources/Locales/en_US.axaml
@@ -702,6 +702,7 @@
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.ShowChangesPageByDefault" xml:space="preserve">Show `LOCAL CHANGES` page by default</x:String>
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.ShowChangesTabInCommitDetailByDefault" xml:space="preserve">Show `CHANGES` tab in commit detail by default</x:String>
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.ShowRelativeTimeInGraph" xml:space="preserve">Show relative time in commit graph</x:String>
+  <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.ShowStagedChangesOnTop" xml:space="preserve">Show staged changes above unstaged changes</x:String>
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.ShowTagsInGraph" xml:space="preserve">Show tags in commit graph</x:String>
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.SubjectGuideLength" xml:space="preserve">Subject Guide Length</x:String>
   <x:String x:Key="Text.Preferences.General.Use24Hours" xml:space="preserve">24-Hours</x:String>
diff --git a/src/ViewModels/Preferences.cs b/src/ViewModels/Preferences.cs
index 4803ec4296..f2854784bd 100644
--- a/src/ViewModels/Preferences.cs
+++ b/src/ViewModels/Preferences.cs
@@ -295,6 +295,12 @@ public int ImageDiffActiveIdx
             set => SetProperty(ref _imageDiffActiveIdx, value);
         }
 
+        public bool ShowStagedChangesOnTop
+        {
+            get => _showStagedChangesOnTop;
+            set => SetProperty(ref _showStagedChangesOnTop, value);
+        }
+
         public bool EnableCompactFoldersInChangesTree
         {
             get => _enableCompactFoldersInChangesTree;
@@ -830,6 +836,7 @@ private bool RemoveInvalidRepositoriesRecursive(List<RepositoryNode> collection)
         private string _ignoreUpdateTag = string.Empty;
 
         private bool _showTagsInGraph = true;
+        private bool _showStagedChangesOnTop = false;
         private bool _useTwoColumnsLayoutInHistories = false;
         private bool _displayTimeAsPeriodInHistories = false;
         private bool _useSideBySideDiff = false;
diff --git a/src/Views/Preferences.axaml b/src/Views/Preferences.axaml
index 55c2b17276..3ac18ebd2f 100644
--- a/src/Views/Preferences.axaml
+++ b/src/Views/Preferences.axaml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
           <TabItem.Header>
             <TextBlock Classes="tab_header" Text="{DynamicResource Text.Preferences.General}"/>
           </TabItem.Header>
-          <Grid Margin="8" RowDefinitions="32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,Auto" ColumnDefinitions="Auto,*">
+          <Grid Margin="8" RowDefinitions="32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,Auto" ColumnDefinitions="Auto,*">
             <TextBlock Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="0"
                        Text="{DynamicResource Text.Preferences.General.Locale}"
                        HorizontalAlignment="Right"
@@ -172,11 +172,16 @@
                       IsChecked="{Binding EnableCompactFoldersInChangesTree, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
 
             <CheckBox Grid.Row="11" Grid.Column="1"
+                      Height="32"
+                      Content="{DynamicResource Text.Preferences.General.ShowStagedChangesOnTop}"
+                      IsChecked="{Binding ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
+
+            <CheckBox Grid.Row="12" Grid.Column="1"
                       Height="32"
                       Content="{DynamicResource Text.Preferences.General.UseGitHubStyleAvatar}"
                       IsChecked="{Binding UseGitHubStyleAvatar, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
 
-            <CheckBox Grid.Row="12" Grid.Column="1"
+            <CheckBox Grid.Row="13" Grid.Column="1"
                       Height="32"
                       Content="{DynamicResource Text.Preferences.General.Check4UpdatesOnStartup}"
                       IsVisible="{x:Static s:App.IsCheckForUpdateCommandVisible}"
diff --git a/src/Views/WorkingCopy.axaml b/src/Views/WorkingCopy.axaml
index 85a606bd14..28bf7da979 100644
--- a/src/Views/WorkingCopy.axaml
+++ b/src/Views/WorkingCopy.axaml
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
       </Border>
 
       <!-- Unstaged -->
-      <Grid Grid.Row="1" RowDefinitions="28,*">
+      <Grid Grid.Row="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToUnstagedRow}}" RowDefinitions="28,*">
         <!-- Unstaged Toolbar -->
         <Border Grid.Row="0" BorderThickness="0,0,0,1" BorderBrush="{DynamicResource Brush.Border0}">
           <Grid ColumnDefinitions="Auto,Auto,Auto,*,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto">
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
                              VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                 </StackPanel>
               </ToolTip.Tip>
-              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Margin="0,6,0,0" Data="{StaticResource Icons.Down}"/>
+              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Margin="0,6,0,0" Data="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToStageIcon}}"/>
             </Button>
             <Button Grid.Column="8"
                     Classes="icon_button"
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
                     Padding="0"
                     ToolTip.Tip="{DynamicResource Text.WorkingCopy.Unstaged.StageAll}"
                     Click="OnStageAllButtonClicked">
-              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Data="{StaticResource Icons.DoubleDown}"/>
+              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Data="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToStageAllIcon}}"/>
             </Button>
           </Grid>
         </Border>
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
                     Focusable="False"/>
 
       <!-- Staged -->
-      <Grid Grid.Row="3" RowDefinitions="27,*">
+      <Grid Grid.Row="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToStagedRow}}" RowDefinitions="27,*">
         <!-- Staged Toolbar -->
         <Border Grid.Row="0" BorderThickness="0,0,0,1" BorderBrush="{DynamicResource Brush.Border0}">
           <Grid ColumnDefinitions="Auto,Auto,Auto,*,Auto,Auto">
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@
                              Foreground="{DynamicResource MenuFlyoutItemKeyboardAcceleratorTextForeground}"/>
                 </StackPanel>
               </ToolTip.Tip>
-              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Margin="0,6,0,0" Data="{StaticResource Icons.Up}"/>
+              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Margin="0,6,0,0" Data="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToUnstageIcon}}"/>
             </Button>
             <Button Grid.Column="5" Classes="icon_button" Width="26" Height="14" Padding="0" ToolTip.Tip="{DynamicResource Text.WorkingCopy.Staged.UnstageAll}" Click="OnUnstageAllButtonClicked">
-              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Data="{StaticResource Icons.DoubleUp}"/>
+              <Path Width="14" Height="14" Data="{Binding Source={x:Static vm:Preferences.Instance}, Path=ShowStagedChangesOnTop, Converter={x:Static c:BoolConverters.IsStagedOnTopToUnstageAllIcon}}"/>
             </Button>
           </Grid>
         </Border>