Advanced Commands for Exploring Git Internals

Advanced Commands for Exploring Git Internals Become a Git power user by mastering its low-level inspection and history tools. While Git’s porcelain commands help manage day-to-day workflows, plumbing commands reveal its internal architecture. This article explores commands like git ls-tree, git rev-parse, git fsck, and advanced git log formats to help you debug, visualize, and verify with confidence. Inspecting the Git Tree git ls-tree HEAD Lists files and directories tracked in the current commit: git ls-tree HEAD Output: 100644 blob a4c2e3e file1.txt 100644 blob b6f9d5f file2.txt 040000 tree 3f5e2a7 src 100644: File mode (permissions). blob/tree: Object type. a4c2e3e: Object SHA-1. file1.txt: File name. Retrieve the Latest Commit Hash git rev-parse HEAD git rev-parse HEAD Output: 9b2e3d7a8f00c6e4f88d70a9c2e7fcbf97e6c9c5 This hash is essential for scripting, CI/CD integration, and debugging. Verifying Repository Integrity git fsck --full Performs a deep scan of your repository: git fsck --full Output: Checking object directories: 100% Checking objects: 100% If corruption exists: error: missing blob 8f00c6e4 fatal: object 8f00c6e4 missing Working with Tags Create: git tag -a v1.0 -m "Version 1.0 release" List: git tag Checkout: git checkout v1.0 Delete: git tag -d v1.0 Push: git push --tags Viewing and Customizing Commit History git log (Basic) git log Shows: Commit SHA Author Date Commit message Patch-Level View git log -p -2 Outputs the last 2 commits and their file diffs. File-Level Stats git log --stat Outputs: hello.txt | 3 +-- hello2.txt | 2 ++ 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) Custom Commit Formats Single-Line Format git log --pretty=oneline Custom Format git log --pretty=format:"%h - %an, %ar : %s" Output: 9b2e3d7 - John Doe, 3 days ago : Fixed login bug Graph View git log --pretty=format:"%h %s" --graph Output: * 9b2e3d7 Fixed login bug * 4a7e8d9 Refactored authentication Filtering Git History Filter by Date git log --since=2.weeks git log --since="2024-02-20" Filter by Change git log -S "validate_login" Filter by File Path git log -- app/models/user.py Advanced Filters (Author, Time, Scope) git log --pretty="%h - %s" --author='Junio C Hamano' --since="2008-10-01" --before="2008-11-01" --no-merges -- t/ Exclude Merge Commits git log --no-merges Summary of Advanced Git Internals Commands Command Description git ls-tree HEAD Lists files and directories in the latest commit. git rev-parse HEAD Retrieves the current commit hash. git fsck --full Performs integrity check on the repository. git log Shows commit history. git log -p -2 Shows code changes for last 2 commits. git log --stat Displays file-level statistics. git log --pretty=oneline Compact one-line view per commit. git log --pretty=format: Custom commit formatting. git log --graph Visual graph of commit history. git log --since Filter commits by date. git log -S Search by content diff. git log -- path/file Filter history by file. git log --author --since --no-merges Filter by metadata. Mastering these commands turns Git into a powerful database for code history and architecture. Keep exploring, and unlock Git's full potential! Follow for more deep dives on Git internals and engineering tools!

May 8, 2025 - 23:23

Advanced Commands for Exploring Git Internals

Become a Git power user by mastering its low-level inspection and history tools.

While Git’s porcelain commands help manage day-to-day workflows, plumbing commands reveal its internal architecture. This article explores commands like git ls-tree, git rev-parse, git fsck, and advanced git log formats to help you debug, visualize, and verify with confidence.

Inspecting the Git Tree

`git ls-tree HEAD`

Lists files and directories tracked in the current commit:

git ls-tree HEAD

Output:

100644 blob a4c2e3e file1.txt
100644 blob b6f9d5f file2.txt
040000 tree 3f5e2a7 src

100644: File mode (permissions).
blob/tree: Object type.
a4c2e3e: Object SHA-1.
file1.txt: File name.

Retrieve the Latest Commit Hash

`git rev-parse HEAD`

git rev-parse HEAD

Output:

9b2e3d7a8f00c6e4f88d70a9c2e7fcbf97e6c9c5

This hash is essential for scripting, CI/CD integration, and debugging.

Verifying Repository Integrity

`git fsck --full`

Performs a deep scan of your repository:

git fsck --full

Output:

Checking object directories: 100%
Checking objects: 100%

If corruption exists:

error: missing blob 8f00c6e4
fatal: object 8f00c6e4 missing

Working with Tags

Create: git tag -a v1.0 -m "Version 1.0 release"
List: git tag
Checkout: git checkout v1.0
Delete: git tag -d v1.0
Push: git push --tags

Viewing and Customizing Commit History

`git log` (Basic)

git log

Shows:

Commit SHA
Author
Date
Commit message

Patch-Level View

git log -p -2

Outputs the last 2 commits and their file diffs.

File-Level Stats

git log --stat

Outputs:

hello.txt | 3 +--
hello2.txt | 2 ++
2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

Custom Commit Formats

Single-Line Format

git log --pretty=oneline

Custom Format

git log --pretty=format:"%h - %an, %ar : %s"

Output:

9b2e3d7 - John Doe, 3 days ago : Fixed login bug

Graph View

git log --pretty=format:"%h %s" --graph

Output:

* 9b2e3d7 Fixed login bug
* 4a7e8d9 Refactored authentication

Filtering Git History

Filter by Date

git log --since=2.weeks
git log --since="2024-02-20"

Filter by Change

git log -S "validate_login"

Filter by File Path

git log -- app/models/user.py

Advanced Filters (Author, Time, Scope)

git log --pretty="%h - %s" --author='Junio C Hamano' --since="2008-10-01" --before="2008-11-01" --no-merges -- t/

Exclude Merge Commits

git log --no-merges

Summary of Advanced Git Internals Commands

Command	Description
`git ls-tree HEAD`	Lists files and directories in the latest commit.
`git rev-parse HEAD`	Retrieves the current commit hash.
`git fsck --full`	Performs integrity check on the repository.
`git log`	Shows commit history.
`git log -p -2`	Shows code changes for last 2 commits.
`git log --stat`	Displays file-level statistics.
`git log --pretty=oneline`	Compact one-line view per commit.
`git log --pretty=format:`	Custom commit formatting.
`git log --graph`	Visual graph of commit history.
`git log --since`	Filter commits by date.
`git log -S`	Search by content diff.
`git log -- path/file`	Filter history by file.
`git log --author --since --no-merges`	Filter by metadata.

Mastering these commands turns Git into a powerful database for code history and architecture. Keep exploring, and unlock Git's full potential!

Follow for more deep dives on Git internals and engineering tools!