View a file's history in Magit?

Question

View the change history of a file using Git versioning talks about other ways of viewing history of a file in Git.

Can it be done in Emacs Magit?

Looks like this answer is part of what you're looking for https://emacs.stackexchange.com/a/7683/16879 — ibizaman, Oct 22 '18 at 18:37

score 146 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 29 '16 at 13:11

146

Since magit 2.1: magit-log-buffer-file (as per comment below)

Before magit 2.1: magit-file-log is what you are looking for. It will show you all commits for the file in the current buffer in the standard magit log view.

edited Feb 29 '16 at 13:11

Flow

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answered Apr 12 '13 at 08:30

Ragge

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Since magit 2.1, `magit-file-log` was renamed to `magit-log-buffer-file` – Anton I. Sipos Jul 07 '15 at 23:25
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Unfortunately, `magit-log-buffer-file` doesn't restrict the display of each commit to just that file. – Robin Green Aug 21 '15 at 14:35
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@CatalinHritcu It works well at displaying all of the commits that affect that file, but it doesn't restrict the display of each commit to just that file. – wilkystyle Sep 21 '15 at 15:16
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The most convenient way I've found so far is to invoke `magit-log-buffer-file` and then run `magit-ediff-dwim` (bound to "e" shortcut in Spacemacs) on the commit of your choice. This will show a window with two panes with highlighted changes. – Juraj Martinka Apr 29 '17 at 08:52
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Unclear what @robin-green and @wilkystyle are describing, but perhaps the keystrokes `l`, `-u`, and `l` will help after `magit-log-buffer-file` – dickmao Sep 27 '18 at 17:04
I guess none of the features support log for a file that isn't there any more? – nroose Feb 12 '20 at 17:06

Bryan Ash · Answer 2 · 2020-01-30T16:55:39.260

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Open your magit-status buffer, by typing M-x magit-status (I used to have this bound to C-. C-g because it is used all the time. These days, I use Spacemacs so it's <SPC> g s)

Type l to get log viewing option
Type -- to set the "Limit to files" option (used to be =f)
Enter the file path you wish to view history for
Type l to view the log of the current branch

If you're using Spacemacs, you can get the history of the currently visited file using <SPC> g f h

edited Jan 30 '20 at 16:55

answered May 30 '16 at 17:02

Bryan Ash

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I think step 2 is now `--` (`Magit 20200112.2023, Git 2.20.1, Emacs 26.1, gnu/linux`) – Liam Jan 26 '20 at 01:49
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Nice, works also with files that were deleted at some point. – Günter Zöchbauer Jul 14 '20 at 06:31
is there an easy way to automatically enter the filename associated with the buffer you were visiting before you entered magit status? (in step 3) – hraban Apr 17 '21 at 17:37
@hraban the command `magit-log-buffer-file` is what you want. With Spacemacs you can use ` g f h` – Bryan Ash Apr 18 '21 at 18:33
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@BryanAsh unfortunately I don't use Spacemacs. I added my own entry for it in the magit log transient: `(transient-append-suffix 'magit-log "l" '("f" "Current file" magit-log-buffer-file))`, access with `C-x M-g l f`. – hraban Apr 19 '21 at 08:53

score 12 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 08 '14 at 14:25

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In your *magit: <project>* buffer use l to go into logging mode, then press f to be prompted for a filename.

answered Jan 08 '14 at 14:25

Bart Vandendriessche

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This is no longer an option in the transient map, magit-20210303.1208 ... not sure when it changed, perhaps related to @Ragge's mention of "before/since magit-2.1". – r2evans Mar 18 '21 at 13:55

score 4 · Answer 4 · edited Oct 22 '19 at 16:06

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If magit (user manual) doesn't have that feature, then you can have a look at other Emacs mode, and add you own git-log-file function:

(defun git-log-file ()
  "Display a log of changes to the marked file(s)."
  (interactive)
  (let* ((files (git-marked-files))
         (buffer (apply #'git-run-command-buffer "*git-log*" "git-rev-list" \
"--pretty" "HEAD" "--" (git-get-filenames files))))  (with-current-buffer buffer
      ; (git-log-mode)  FIXME: implement log mode
      (goto-char (point-min))
      (setq buffer-read-only t))
    (display-buffer buffer)))

edited Oct 22 '19 at 16:06

Iain

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answered Jan 16 '13 at 07:14

VonC

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Or just use `C-x v l` – phils Jan 31 '20 at 01:35
I am having following message: `Symbol’s function definition is void: git-marked-files` – alper Oct 22 '20 at 18:25
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@alp 7 years later, that issue would be better represented in its own question, with the exact version of the OS, eclipse and magic plugin. – VonC Oct 22 '20 at 18:27

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 12 '13 at 05:16

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I do not know a way. I simply use M-x vc-print-log which seems to accomplish the same feat. It is not a magit-integrated way, though.

answered Apr 12 '13 at 05:16

sp3ctum

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score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 04 '22 at 04:31

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Hit C-cM-g to bring up the magit-file-dispatch: it has several "file-local" magit commands, such as blame and log (l).

answered Apr 04 '22 at 04:31

hraban

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View a file's history in Magit?

6 Answers6

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