Better Git log
The default git log output can be hard to read. Here’s how I make it more visual and informative using aliases.
- Add these aliases to the global
.gitconfig:
[alias]
# Tree-like log with relative dates
logs = log --graph --date=relative --pretty=tformat:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(auto)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%an %ad)%Creset'
# Limit to 20 commits
log = logs -n 20
- Alternatively, set up aliases in your shell config:
alias glog="git log --graph --date=relative --pretty=tformat:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(auto)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%an %ad)%Creset' -n 20"
alias glogs="git log --graph --date=relative --pretty=tformat:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(auto)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%an %ad)%Creset'"
- Example output
* c0eb700 - (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD) chore(fish): update alias (woula 26 minutes ago)
* 960e14f - chore(nvim): update plugins, active flash, disable cappuchine (woula 16 hours ago)
* bc1129d - feat(nvim): add disabled plugins list (woula 3 days ago)
* 6e14bad - feat(nix): update config for homebrew (woula 5 days ago)
That is a little bit better than this: git log --graph --oneline --decorate --all
❯ git log --graph --oneline --decorate --all
* c0eb700 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD) chore(fish): update alias
* 960e14f chore(nvim): update plugins, active flash, disable cappuchine
* bc1129d chore(nvim): recrete list of disabled plugins
* 6e14bad feat(nix): update config for homebrew
And a lot more readable than the default: git log
❯ git log
* c0eb700 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD) chore(fish): update alias
commit c0eb700 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: woula <[email protected]>
Date: Sun Jan 26 10:02:37 2025 +0100
chore(fish): update alias
commit 960e14f
Author: woula <[email protected]>
Date: Sat Jan 25 18:32:42 2025 +0100
feat(nvim): update plugins, active flash, disable cappuchine
commit bc1129d
Author: woula <[email protected]>
Date: Thu Jan 23 07:00:58 2025 +0100
feat(nix): update config for homebrew