diff --git a/gitcommands.go b/gitcommands.go
index 94e71686d..465a61da1 100644
--- a/gitcommands.go
+++ b/gitcommands.go
@@ -5,92 +5,164 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-  "fmt"
+
   // "log"
+  "fmt"
   "os/exec"
-  "os"
   "strings"
-  "regexp"
-  "runtime"
 )
 
+// GitFile : A staged/unstaged file
+type GitFile struct {
+  Name               string
+  DisplayString      string
+  HasStagedChanges   bool
+  HasUnstagedChanges bool
+  Tracked            bool
+  Deleted            bool
+}
+
+// Branch : A git branch
+type Branch struct {
+  Name          string
+  DisplayString string
+  Type          string
+  BaseBranch    string
+}
+
 // Map (from https://gobyexample.com/collection-functions)
 func Map(vs []string, f func(string) string) []string {
-    vsm := make([]string, len(vs))
-    for i, v := range vs {
-        vsm[i] = f(v)
-    }
-    return vsm
+  vsm := make([]string, len(vs))
+  for i, v := range vs {
+    vsm[i] = f(v)
+  }
+  return vsm
 }
 
-func sanitisedFileString(fileString string) string {
-  r := regexp.MustCompile("\\s| \\(new commits\\)|.* ")
-  fileString = r.ReplaceAllString(fileString, "")
-  return fileString
-}
-
-func filesByMatches(statusString string, targets []string) []string {
-  files := make([]string, 0)
-  for _, target := range targets {
-    if strings.Index(statusString, target) == -1 {
-      continue
-    }
-    r := regexp.MustCompile("(?s)" + target + ".*?\n\n(.*?)\n\n")
-    // fmt.Println(r)
-
-    matchedFileStrings := strings.Split(r.FindStringSubmatch(statusString)[1], "\n")
-    // fmt.Println(matchedFileStrings)
-
-    matchedFiles := Map(matchedFileStrings, sanitisedFileString)
-    // fmt.Println(matchedFiles)
-    files = append(files, matchedFiles...)
-
+func mergeGitStatusFiles(oldGitFiles, newGitFiles []GitFile) []GitFile {
+  if len(oldGitFiles) == 0 {
+    return newGitFiles
   }
 
-  breakHere()
-
-  // fmt.Println(files)
-  return files
-}
-
-func breakHere() {
-  if len(os.Args) > 1 && os.Args[1] == "debug" {
-    runtime.Breakpoint()
+  result := make([]GitFile, 0)
+  for _, oldGitFile := range oldGitFiles {
+    for _, newGitFile := range newGitFiles {
+      if oldGitFile.Name == newGitFile.Name {
+        result = append(result, newGitFile)
+        break
+      }
+    }
   }
+  return result
 }
 
-func getFilesToStage(statusString string) []string {
-  targets := []string{"Changes not staged for commit:", "Untracked files:"}
-  return filesByMatches(statusString, targets)
+func getGitBranchOutput() (string, error) {
+  cmdOut, err := exec.Command("bash", "-c", getBranchesCommand).Output()
+  return string(cmdOut), err
 }
 
-func getFilesToUnstage(statusString string) []string {
-  targets := []string{"Changes to be committed:"}
-  return filesByMatches(statusString, targets)
+func branchNameFromString(branchString string) string {
+  // because this has the recency at the beginning,
+  // we need to split and take the second part
+  splitBranchName := strings.Split(branchString, "\t")
+  return splitBranchName[len(splitBranchName)-1]
+}
+
+func getGitBranches() []Branch {
+  branches := make([]Branch, 0)
+  rawString, _ := getGitBranchOutput()
+  branchLines := splitLines(rawString)
+  for _, line := range branchLines {
+    name := branchNameFromString(line)
+    var branchType string
+    var baseBranch string
+    if strings.Contains(line, "feature/") {
+      branchType = "feature"
+      baseBranch = "develop"
+    } else if strings.Contains(line, "bugfix/") {
+      branchType = "bugfix"
+      baseBranch = "develop"
+    } else if strings.Contains(line, "hotfix/") {
+      branchType = "hotfix"
+      baseBranch = "master"
+    } else {
+      branchType = "other"
+      baseBranch = name
+    }
+    branches = append(branches, Branch{name, line, branchType, baseBranch})
+  }
+  devLog(fmt.Sprint(branches))
+  return branches
+}
+
+func getGitStatusFiles() []GitFile {
+  statusOutput, _ := getGitStatus()
+  statusStrings := splitLines(statusOutput)
+  devLog(fmt.Sprint(statusStrings))
+  // a file can have both staged and unstaged changes
+  // I'll probably end up ignoring the unstaged flag for now but might revisit
+  // tracked, staged, unstaged
+
+  gitFiles := make([]GitFile, 0)
+
+  for _, statusString := range statusStrings {
+    stagedChange := statusString[0:1]
+    unstagedChange := statusString[1:2]
+    filename := statusString[3:]
+    tracked := statusString[0:2] != "??"
+    gitFile := GitFile{
+      Name:               filename,
+      DisplayString:      statusString,
+      HasStagedChanges:   tracked && stagedChange != " ",
+      HasUnstagedChanges: !tracked || unstagedChange != " ",
+      Tracked:            tracked,
+      Deleted:            unstagedChange == "D" || stagedChange == "D",
+    }
+    gitFiles = append(gitFiles, gitFile)
+  }
+  return gitFiles
+}
+
+func gitCheckout(branch string, force bool) error {
+  forceArg := ""
+  if force {
+    forceArg = "--force "
+  }
+  _, err := runCommand("git checkout " + forceArg + branch)
+  return err
 }
 
 func runCommand(cmd string) (string, error) {
   splitCmd := strings.Split(cmd, " ")
   cmdOut, err := exec.Command(splitCmd[0], splitCmd[1:]...).Output()
+  devLog(cmd)
+  devLog(string(cmdOut))
   return string(cmdOut), err
 }
 
-func getDiff(file string, cached bool) string {
-  devLog(file)
+func getBranchDiff(branch string, baseBranch string) (string, error) {
+  return runCommand("git diff --color " + baseBranch + "..." + branch)
+}
+
+func getDiff(file GitFile) string {
   cachedArg := ""
-  if cached {
+  if file.HasStagedChanges {
     cachedArg = "--cached "
   }
-  s, err := runCommand("git diff " + cachedArg + file)
+  deletedArg := ""
+  if file.Deleted || !file.Tracked {
+    deletedArg = "--no-index /dev/null "
+  }
+  command := "git diff --color " + cachedArg + deletedArg + file.Name
+  s, err := runCommand(command)
   if err != nil {
     // for now we assume an error means the file was deleted
-    return "deleted"
+    return s
   }
   return s
 }
 
 func stageFile(file string) error {
-  devLog("staging " + file)
   _, err := runCommand("git add " + file)
   return err
 }
@@ -100,13 +172,34 @@ func unStageFile(file string) error {
   return err
 }
 
-func testGettingFiles() {
-
-  statusString, _ := runCommand("git status")
-  fmt.Println(getFilesToStage(statusString))
-  fmt.Println(getFilesToUnstage(statusString))
-
-  runCommand("git add hello-world.go")
+func getGitStatus() (string, error) {
+  return runCommand("git status --untracked-files=all --short")
 }
 
+const getBranchesCommand = `set -e
+git reflog -n100 --pretty='%cr|%gs' --grep-reflog='checkout: moving' HEAD | {
+  seen=":"
+  git_dir="$(git rev-parse --git-dir)"
+  while read line; do
+    date="${line%%|*}"
+    branch="${line##* }"
+    if ! [[ $seen == *:"${branch}":* ]]; then
+      seen="${seen}${branch}:"
+      if [ -f "${git_dir}/refs/heads/${branch}" ]; then
+        printf "%s\t%s\n" "$date" "$branch"
+      fi
+    fi
+  done | sed 's/ days /d /g' | sed 's/ weeks /w /g' | sed 's/ hours /h /g' | sed 's/ minutes /m /g' | sed 's/ago//g' | tr -d ' '
+}
+`
 
+// func main() {
+//   getGitStatusFiles()
+// }
+
+// func devLog(s string) {
+//   f, _ := os.OpenFile("development.log", os.O_APPEND|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
+//   defer f.Close()
+
+//   f.WriteString(s + "\n")
+// }
diff --git a/gui.go b/gui.go
index f58d13fdb..63566c737 100644
--- a/gui.go
+++ b/gui.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// lots of this has been directly ported from one of the example files, will brush up later
+
 // Copyright 2014 The gocui Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
@@ -6,95 +8,213 @@ package main
 
 import (
   "fmt"
+  "strings"
   // "io"
   // "io/ioutil"
   "log"
   // "strings"
   "os"
-  "github.com/jroimartin/gocui"
+
   "github.com/fatih/color"
+  "github.com/jroimartin/gocui"
 )
 
-type gitFile struct {
-  Name string
-  Staged bool
+type stateType struct {
+  GitFiles []GitFile
+  Branches []Branch
 }
 
-var gitFiles []gitFile
+var state = stateType{GitFiles: make([]GitFile, 0)}
+
+var cyclableViews = []string{"files", "branches"}
 
 func nextView(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-  if v == nil || v.Name() == "side" {
-    _, err := g.SetCurrentView("main")
+  var focusedViewName string
+  if v == nil || v.Name() == cyclableViews[len(cyclableViews)-1] {
+    focusedViewName = cyclableViews[0]
+  } else {
+    for i := range cyclableViews {
+      if v.Name() == cyclableViews[i] {
+        focusedViewName = cyclableViews[i+1]
+        break
+      }
+      if i == len(cyclableViews)-1 {
+        panic(v.Name() + " is not in the list of views")
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  focusedView, err := g.View(focusedViewName)
+  if err != nil {
+    panic(err)
     return err
   }
-  _, err := g.SetCurrentView("side")
+  if v != nil {
+    v.Highlight = false
+  }
+  focusedView.Highlight = true
+  devLog(focusedViewName)
+  _, err = g.SetCurrentView(focusedViewName)
+  itemSelected(g, focusedView)
+  showViewOptions(g, focusedViewName)
   return err
 }
 
+func showViewOptions(g *gocui.Gui, viewName string) error {
+  optionsMap := map[string]string{
+    "files":    "space: toggle staged, c: commit changes",
+    "branches": "space: checkout",
+  }
+  g.Update(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
+    v, err := g.View("options")
+    if err != nil {
+      panic(err)
+    }
+    v.Clear()
+    fmt.Fprint(v, optionsMap[viewName])
+    return nil
+  })
+  return nil
+}
+
+func getItemPosition(v *gocui.View) int {
+  _, cy := v.Cursor()
+  _, oy := v.Origin()
+  return oy + cy
+}
+
+func cursorUp(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  if v == nil {
+    return nil
+  }
+
+  ox, oy := v.Origin()
+  cx, cy := v.Cursor()
+  if err := v.SetCursor(cx, cy-1); err != nil && oy > 0 {
+    if err := v.SetOrigin(ox, oy-1); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+  }
+
+  itemSelected(g, v)
+  return nil
+}
+
+func resetOrigin(v *gocui.View) error {
+  if err := v.SetCursor(0, 0); err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+  return v.SetOrigin(0, 0)
+}
+
 func cursorDown(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
   if v != nil {
     cx, cy := v.Cursor()
+    ox, oy := v.Origin()
+    if cy+oy >= len(v.BufferLines())-2 {
+      return nil
+    }
     if err := v.SetCursor(cx, cy+1); err != nil {
-      ox, oy := v.Origin()
       if err := v.SetOrigin(ox, oy+1); err != nil {
         return err
       }
     }
   }
 
-  // refresh main panel's text to match newly selected item
-  return handleItemSelect(g, v)
+  itemSelected(g, v)
+  return nil
 }
 
-func cursorUp(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-  if v != nil {
-    ox, oy := v.Origin()
-    cx, cy := v.Cursor()
-    if err := v.SetCursor(cx, cy-1); err != nil && oy > 0 {
-      if err := v.SetOrigin(ox, oy-1); err != nil {
-        return err
-      }
-    }
-  }
+func itemSelected(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  mainView, _ := g.View("main")
+  mainView.SetOrigin(0, 0)
 
-  // refresh main panel's text to match newly selected item
-  return handleItemSelect(g, v)
+  switch v.Name() {
+  case "files":
+    return handleFileSelect(g, v)
+  case "branches":
+    return handleBranchSelect(g, v)
+  default:
+    panic("No view matching itemSelected switch statement")
+  }
+}
+
+func scrollUp(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  mainView, _ := g.View("main")
+  ox, oy := mainView.Origin()
+  if oy >= 1 {
+    return mainView.SetOrigin(ox, oy-1)
+  }
+  return nil
+}
+
+func scrollDown(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  mainView, _ := g.View("main")
+  ox, oy := mainView.Origin()
+  if oy < len(mainView.BufferLines()) {
+    return mainView.SetOrigin(ox, oy+1)
+  }
+  return nil
 }
 
 func devLog(s string) {
-  f, _ := os.OpenFile("development.log", os.O_APPEND|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
+  f, _ := os.OpenFile("/Users/jesseduffieldduffield/go/src/github.com/jesseduffield/gitgot/development.log", os.O_APPEND|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
   defer f.Close()
 
   f.WriteString(s + "\n")
 }
 
-func handleItemPress(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-  item := getItem(v)
+func handleBranchPress(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  branch := getSelectedBranch(v)
+  if err := gitCheckout(branch.Name, false); err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+  refreshBranches(v)
+  refreshFiles(g)
+  return nil
+}
 
-  if item.Staged {
-    unStageFile(item.Name)
+func handleFilePress(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  file := getSelectedFile(v)
+
+  if file.HasUnstagedChanges {
+    stageFile(file.Name)
   } else {
-    stageFile(item.Name)
+    unStageFile(file.Name)
   }
 
-  if err := refreshList(v); err != nil {
+  if err := refreshFiles(g); err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+  if err := handleFileSelect(g, v); err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+
+  return nil
+}
+
+func getSelectedFile(v *gocui.View) GitFile {
+  lineNumber := getItemPosition(v)
+  return state.GitFiles[lineNumber]
+}
+
+func getSelectedBranch(v *gocui.View) Branch {
+  lineNumber := getItemPosition(v)
+  return state.Branches[lineNumber]
+}
+
+func handleBranchSelect(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  lineNumber := getItemPosition(v)
+  branch := state.Branches[lineNumber]
+  diff, _ := getBranchDiff(branch.Name, branch.BaseBranch)
+  if err := renderString(g, diff); err != nil {
     return err
   }
   return nil
 }
 
-func getItem(v *gocui.View) gitFile {
-  _, lineNumber := v.Cursor()
-  if lineNumber >= len(gitFiles) {
-    return gitFiles[len(gitFiles) - 1]
-  }
-  return gitFiles[lineNumber]
-}
-
-func handleItemSelect(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-  item := getItem(v)
-  diff := getDiff(item.Name, item.Staged)
-  devLog(diff)
+func handleFileSelect(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+  item := getSelectedFile(v)
+  diff := getDiff(item)
   if err := renderString(g, diff); err != nil {
     return err
   }
@@ -102,7 +222,7 @@ func handleItemSelect(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
   // maxX, maxY := g.Size()
   // if v, err := g.SetView("msg", maxX/2-30, maxY/2, maxX/2+30, maxY/2+2); err != nil {
   //   if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
-  //     return err
+  //     return errkjhgkhj
   //   }
   //   fmt.Fprintln(v, l)
   //   if _, err := g.SetCurrentView("msg"); err != nil {
@@ -116,7 +236,7 @@ func delMsg(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
   if err := g.DeleteView("msg"); err != nil {
     return err
   }
-  if _, err := g.SetCurrentView("side"); err != nil {
+  if _, err := g.SetCurrentView("files"); err != nil {
     return err
   }
   return nil
@@ -127,79 +247,154 @@ func quit(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 }
 
 func keybindings(g *gocui.Gui) error {
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("side", gocui.KeyCtrlSpace, gocui.ModNone, nextView); err != nil {
+  for _, view := range cyclableViews {
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyTab, gocui.ModNone, nextView); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, 'q', gocui.ModNone, quit); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyCtrlC, gocui.ModNone, quit); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyArrowDown, gocui.ModNone, cursorDown); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyArrowUp, gocui.ModNone, cursorUp); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyPgup, gocui.ModNone, scrollUp); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+    if err := g.SetKeybinding(view, gocui.KeyPgdn, gocui.ModNone, scrollDown); err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+  }
+  if err := g.SetKeybinding("files", gocui.KeySpace, gocui.ModNone, handleFilePress); err != nil {
     return err
   }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("main", gocui.KeyCtrlSpace, gocui.ModNone, nextView); err != nil {
+  if err := g.SetKeybinding("branches", gocui.KeySpace, gocui.ModNone, handleBranchPress); err != nil {
     return err
   }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("side", gocui.KeyArrowDown, gocui.ModNone, cursorDown); err != nil {
-    return err
-  }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("side", gocui.KeyArrowUp, gocui.ModNone, cursorUp); err != nil {
-    return err
-  }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("", gocui.KeyCtrlC, gocui.ModNone, quit); err != nil {
-    return err
-  }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("", gocui.KeyEsc, gocui.ModNone, quit); err != nil {
-    return err
-  }
-  if err := g.SetKeybinding("side", gocui.KeySpace, gocui.ModNone, handleItemPress); err != nil {
-    return err
-  }
-  // if err := g.SetKeybinding("msg", gocui.KeySpace, gocui.ModNone, delMsg); err != nil {
-  //   return err
-  // }
   return nil
 }
 
-func refreshList(v *gocui.View) error {
-  // get files to stage
-  statusString, _ := runCommand("git status")
-  filesToStage := getFilesToStage(statusString)
-  filesToUnstage := getFilesToUnstage(statusString)
-  // v.Highlight = true
-  // v.SelBgColor = gocui.ColorWhite
-  // v.SelFgColor = gocui.ColorBlack
-  v.Clear()
-  gitFiles = make([]gitFile, 0)
+func splitLines(multilineString string) []string {
+  if multilineString == "" || multilineString == "\n" {
+    return make([]string, 0)
+  }
+  lines := strings.Split(multilineString, "\n")
+  if lines[len(lines)-1] == "" {
+    return lines[:len(lines)-1]
+  }
+  return lines
+}
+
+func refreshBranches(v *gocui.View) error {
+  state.Branches = getGitBranches()
+  yellow := color.New(color.FgYellow)
   red := color.New(color.FgRed)
-  for _, file := range filesToStage {
-    gitFiles = append(gitFiles, gitFile{file, false})
-    red.Fprintln(v, file)
-  }
+  white := color.New(color.FgWhite)
   green := color.New(color.FgGreen)
-  for _, file := range filesToUnstage {
-    gitFiles = append(gitFiles, gitFile{file, true})
-    green.Fprintln(v, file)
+
+  v.Clear()
+  for _, branch := range state.Branches {
+    if branch.Type == "feature" {
+      green.Fprintln(v, branch.DisplayString)
+      continue
+    }
+    if branch.Type == "bugfix" {
+      yellow.Fprintln(v, branch.DisplayString)
+      continue
+    }
+    if branch.Type == "hotfix" {
+      red.Fprintln(v, branch.DisplayString)
+      continue
+    }
+    white.Fprintln(v, branch.DisplayString)
+  }
+  resetOrigin(v)
+  return nil
+}
+
+func refreshFiles(g *gocui.Gui) error {
+  filesView, err := g.View("files")
+  if err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+
+  // get files to stage
+  gitFiles := getGitStatusFiles()
+  state.GitFiles = mergeGitStatusFiles(state.GitFiles, gitFiles)
+
+  filesView.Clear()
+  red := color.New(color.FgRed)
+  green := color.New(color.FgGreen)
+  for _, gitFile := range state.GitFiles {
+    if !gitFile.Tracked {
+      red.Fprintln(filesView, gitFile.DisplayString)
+      continue
+    }
+    green.Fprint(filesView, gitFile.DisplayString[0:1])
+    red.Fprint(filesView, gitFile.DisplayString[1:3])
+    if gitFile.HasUnstagedChanges {
+      red.Fprintln(filesView, gitFile.Name)
+    } else {
+      green.Fprintln(filesView, gitFile.Name)
+    }
   }
-  devLog(fmt.Sprint(gitFiles))
   return nil
 }
 
 func layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
   maxX, maxY := g.Size()
-  sideView, err := g.SetView("side", -1, -1, 30, maxY)
+  leftSideWidth := maxX / 3
+  filesBranchesBoundary := maxY - 10
+
+  optionsTop := maxY - 3
+  // hiding options if there's not enough space
+  if maxY < 30 {
+    optionsTop = maxY
+  }
+
+  sideView, err := g.SetView("files", 0, 0, leftSideWidth, filesBranchesBoundary-1)
   if err != nil {
     if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
       return err
     }
+    sideView.Highlight = true
     sideView.Title = "Files"
-    devLog("test")
-    refreshList(sideView)
+    refreshFiles(g)
   }
 
-  if v, err := g.SetView("main", 30, -1, maxX, maxY); err != nil {
+  if v, err := g.SetView("main", leftSideWidth+2, 0, maxX-1, optionsTop-1); err != nil {
     if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
       return err
     }
-    v.Editable = true
+    v.Title = "Diff"
     v.Wrap = true
-    if _, err := g.SetCurrentView("side"); err != nil {
+    if _, err := g.SetCurrentView("files"); err != nil {
       return err
     }
-    handleItemSelect(g, sideView)
+    handleFileSelect(g, sideView)
+  }
+
+  if v, err := g.SetView("branches", 0, filesBranchesBoundary, leftSideWidth, optionsTop-1); err != nil {
+    if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
+      return err
+    }
+    v.Title = "Branches"
+
+    // these are only called once
+    refreshBranches(v)
+    nextView(g, nil)
+  }
+
+  if v, err := g.SetView("options", 0, optionsTop, maxX-1, optionsTop+2); err != nil {
+    if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
+      return err
+    }
+    v.Title = "Options"
   }
 
   return nil
@@ -226,7 +421,7 @@ func run() {
   }
   defer g.Close()
 
-  g.Cursor = true
+  // g.Cursor = true
 
   g.SetManagerFunc(layout)
 
diff --git a/testFile.txt b/testFile.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..16b14f5da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testFile.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+test file