git-forest (1) Linux Manual Page
- git-forest — display the commit history forest
Syntax
git-forest [-a] [–no-rebase] [–style=number] [–sha] [–svdepth=depth] [rev-list-options] [refspec…]Description
git-forest is a command-line zero-lookahead git repository history visualizer with Unicode output with a bit of gitk resemblance.Why another program?
The tree visualization of gitk is very useful, but there were (git 1.5.4 timeframe) no decent visualizers that can run in a console window, without the need to have X around (which gitk depends on). tig has numerous limitations, it cannot display octopus merges or octopus branching. As of git 1.5.6, there are still no other Unicode-output programs known to me.A bit of internals
git-forest originally was a zero-lookahead visualizer, i.e. branches were accomodated when they have first been seen. Since mid-June 2008, git-forest has a lookahead tunable that controls how long an inter-merge vine (a branch in the graphical sense) can be.Options
- -a
- Display author for each commit.
- –no-rebase
- Do not show the rebase pseudo-refs.
- –style=1
- Use single-line visuals (default).
- –style=2
- Use double-line visuals.
- –style=10
- Use specific rounded Unicode visuals for edges; glyphs might only be available with X11 terminals and appropriate fonts.
- –style=15
- Use single bold-line visuals. Not readily usable with VGA console fonts without special unimaps.
- –sha
- Display (abbreviated) SHAs for each commit.
- –svdepth=depth
- This option controls the maximum length of merge subvines. It defaults to 2.
All other options and arguments are passed down to git-log. Commonly useful options are –all and –topo-order.
Examples
git-forest –all | less -RSThis tool does not try to minimize the empty space between branches like gitk does. Take it as a feature.
git-forest origin/master | less -RS