Everyday Git · Git Basics

Viewing history with git log

Read your Git history with git log and its most useful flags: --oneline, --graph, -p and -n to see commits the way you need them.

What git log shows

Every commit you make is stored in history, and git log prints that history, newest first:

git log

You'll see an entry per commit:

commit 9f3a1c2b7e4d0a1f2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b
Author: Jane Dev <jane@example.com>
Date:   Mon Jul 13 10:22:04 2026 +0200

    Add password reset endpoint

Each block shows the full commit hash, the author, the date, and the message. Press the space bar to page down, and q to quit when you're done reading.

The flag you'll use most: --oneline

The full output is verbose. Condense each commit to a single line:

git log --oneline

9f3a1c2 Add password reset endpoint
a1b2c3d Cache user permissions on login
7e8f9a0 Fix timezone in invoice dates

Short hash plus subject line. This is the everyday view - it's why good commit subjects pay off.

Other useful git log flags

  • -n <number> - show only the last N commits. git log -n 5 shows the five most recent, and git log -5 is the same thing with less typing.
  • --graph - draw an ASCII diagram of the history. It looks plain now with a straight line, but becomes genuinely useful once you start branching in the next chapter.
  • -p - show the actual code changes (the patch) introduced by each commit, not just the message.

Flags combine, which is where git log gets powerful:

git log --oneline -n 5

9f3a1c2 Add password reset endpoint
a1b2c3d Cache user permissions on login
7e8f9a0 Fix timezone in invoice dates
3c4d5e6 Add invoice PDF export
6f7a8b9 Update README install steps

A compact, scannable summary of your recent work.

Looking at one commit's changes

Want to see exactly what a single commit changed? Combine -p with -n 1:

git log -p -n 1

This prints the last commit's message followed by its diff - handy for reviewing your own work before moving on.

FAQ

How do I get out of git log?

Press q. Git shows long output in a pager (a scrollable viewer), and q quits it. Space and arrow keys scroll.

Why is my --graph just a straight line?

Because you have one line of history so far. --graph shines once you create branches and merge them, which is the next chapter. It's still valid now, just not visual yet.

Can I see only my last few commits?

Yes - use -n, for example git log --oneline -n 3 for the last three. It's the fastest way to glance at recent work.