Git Log and History

git log shows the commit history of your repository.

View your history

bash
git log

The output lists commits from newest to oldest. For each commit it shows:

• the hash (long ID),
• the author,
• the date,
• the commit message.

A compact view

bash
git log - oneline

This prints one short line per commit, showing a shortened hash and the message. It is the fastest way to skim history.

Limit the output

bash
git log - oneline -5

The -5 shows only the last 5 commits.

See what changed

bash
git log -p

The -p (patch) option shows the actual code changes in every commit. Use it to see exactly what each commit did.

Quit the log

git log can be long. Press q to get back to your terminal prompt.

TL;DR

• git log shows full history, newest first.
• git log - oneline shows a compact summary.
• git log -5 limits the number of commits.
• git log -p shows the code changes too.