Terminal Guidegit log Command Guide
Show commit logs
Dai Aoki
CEO at init, Inc. / CTO at US & JP startups / Creator of WebTerm
Quick Reference
Basic
git logShow commit historygit log --onelineOne line per commitgit log -n 5Show last 5 commitsFormat
--graphASCII branch graph--statShow file changes-pShow full diffFilter
--author="name"By author--since="2024-01-01"Since date-- path/fileFile historyDownloadable Image Preview
Basic Usage
The git log command shows the commit history. It's essential for understanding what changes were made and when.
# Show full commit history
git log
# Compact one-line format
git log --oneline
# Show last 5 commits
git log -5Formatting Output
# One line per commit
git log --oneline
# With branch/merge graph
git log --graph --oneline
# With file statistics
git log --stat
# With full diff
git log -p
# Combined: graph + oneline + all branches
git log --graph --oneline --all
# Decorated (show branch/tag names)
git log --oneline --decorateUseful Aliases
git config --global alias.lg "log --graph --oneline --decorate --all"
git config --global alias.lol "log --oneline -20"Filtering Commits
# By author
git log --author="John"
# By date range
git log --since="2024-01-01" --until="2024-06-01"
git log --after="2 weeks ago"
# By commit message
git log --grep="fix bug"
git log --grep="fix" -i # Case insensitive
# By file
git log -- src/app.js
git log -p -- src/app.js # With diff
# By content change
git log -S "functionName" # When function was added/removed
git log -G "regex" # Regex match in changes
# Range of commits
git log main..feature # Commits in feature not in main
git log main...feature # Commits in either, not bothCustom Format
# Custom pretty format
git log --pretty=format:"%h %an %ar - %s"
# Format placeholders:
# %H - Full commit hash
# %h - Abbreviated hash
# %an - Author name
# %ae - Author email
# %ar - Author date, relative
# %ad - Author date
# %s - Subject (first line)
# %b - Body
# Examples
git log --pretty=format:"%h %ad | %s [%an]" --date=short
git log --pretty=format:"%C(yellow)%h%C(reset) %s %C(blue)<%an>%C(reset)"Practical Examples
# Quick history overview
git log --oneline -20
# See what changed in each commit
git log --stat
# Full history with graph
git log --graph --oneline --all --decorate
# File history
git log -p -- README.md
# Who changed what in the last week
git log --since="1 week ago" --author="$(git config user.name)"
# Find when a function was added
git log -S "myFunction" --source --all
# Commits between releases
git log v1.0..v2.0 --oneline
# Merge commits only
git log --merges
# Exclude merge commits
git log --no-mergesFrequently Asked Questions
How do I see the history of a specific file?
Use "git log -- <filename>" to see only commits that affected that file. Add -p to see the actual changes: "git log -p -- filename".
How do I find commits by a specific author?
Use "git log --author="name"" to filter by author. You can use partial names or email addresses.
How do I search commit messages?
Use "git log --grep="pattern"" to search commit messages. Add -i for case-insensitive search.
How do I see a graph of branches?
Use "git log --graph --oneline --all" to see an ASCII graph of all branches and their relationships.
How do I see changes between two commits?
Use "git log commit1..commit2" to see commits between two points. Use "git log main..feature" to see commits in feature not in main.
Summary
git log is your window into project history. Combine filters and formatting for exactly the information you need.
Quick Reference
git log --oneline- Compact viewgit log --graph- Branch graphgit log -p- With diffsgit log -- <file>- File history
Official Documentation
For authoritative information, refer to the official documentation: