In the last story, we created a new repository on GitHub and pushed our code to the main branch. In this one, let’s rewind a bit, I'll walk you through how to look back at your development history and test new features safely using Git.
By now, you’ve probably updated your project and pushed changes quite a few times. Every commit you've made is like a snapshot, a version of your project frozen in time.
But how do you go back and look at an old version, maybe just to check a single line of code?
Most people head to GitHub -> Commits tab. But you don’t need to leave the terminal for that. Here's how you can do it right from the command line.
See Your Project’s History
git log
This shows a list of commits made by you and your collaborators. Each commit is identified by a unique 40-character SHA-1 hash. This hash acts like a version ID.
A sample log entry looks like:
commit 7abd5964ad8ef67ac20f5c52eea34e0d3bebe110
Author: hiruthicShaSS <*Emails are not allowed*>
Date: Fri Jun 25 16:42:07 2021 +0530
Opening articles in new tab and card title fixed
That’s a lot of info! Let’s trim it down.
Get Specific Commits
Want just the last few entries?
git log -3
Want logs after a specific date?
git log --after="2021-05-01"
Combine with --before to get a date range!
Want Less Detail? Use --oneline
git log --oneline
This condenses each commit into a single line:
7abd596 Opening articles in new tab and card title fixed
To include branch and tag info too:
git log --oneline --decorate
Or if you're just looking for a human-friendly summary:
git shortlog
Enter Branches
Every Git project starts with the default main branch. But you shouldn’t develop or test directly on it. That’s what branches are for.
Check your current branches:
git branch
Let’s create a new one for development:
git branch development
But wait, this doesn’t switch to the new branch yet. To move to it:
git checkout development
Or do both in one shot:
git checkout -b development
Honestly, this is what I always use .
Why Branching Matters
Each branch is an isolated version of your code. You can try out features, break stuff, go wild, and it won't affect your main branch. When you're done and happy with your changes, you can merge it back.
If it all goes south? Just delete the branch and start over from main (just kidding, we'll talk how to fix f*ckups in git later).
Working with Git branches is like owning the Eye of Agamotto, every time you mess up, you can just rewind time and try again. Cool, right?
Until then:
Learn Git. Get fit.
Stay Curious. Adios ✌️