Way to List All Changes on a File in Git

Question

I'm trying to track down who removed some code on a particular file. I don't know when it was but certainly within the past month.

Is there a way to list history of code changes and details on a specific file via a git command?

Update

this didn't work

git log -p --follow -- src/app/company/index.js

Update

tried this

git blame src/app/company/index.js fatal: no such path 'src/app/company/index.js' in HEAD

Update

ugh, company is capital C...that's what the problem was.

Possible duplicate of [View the change history of a file using Git versioning](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/278192/view-the-change-history-of-a-file-using-git-versioning) — jonatan, Oct 15 '17 at 20:34
it's been a file that's been there for a long time in our repo — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 20:39
If the file no longer exists (which you haven't said) then it's a duplicate of this, isn't it? https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7203515/git-how-to-search-for-a-deleted-file-in-the-project-commit-history — jonatan, Oct 15 '17 at 20:43
`ls src/app/company/index.js` result: src/app/company/index.js — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 21:03
if I try this, it errors so the previous command above must work: ls `ls /src/app/company/index.js ` ls: /src/app/company/index.js: No such file or directory — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 21:05
if I run this, it errors: `git blame src/app/company/index.js` fatal: no such path 'src/app/company/index.js' in HEAD — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 21:06
Then the file does not exist on your branch, I suspect your confusion is from the UI not updating in your IDE. — Dale, Oct 15 '17 at 21:10
of course it exists in my branch, we've been working with this file for ages and it's right there in my IDE. I've been changing code and committing code to this file for a long time now, that's not the issue — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 22:01
crap I was missing a capital. The company Directory has a capital C. All good now — PositiveGuy, Oct 15 '17 at 22:07
@PositiveGuy: So, should we delete this as a typo? Or is there something to say for others with this problem? — Davis Herring, Oct 17 '17 at 00:33

janos · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-15T20:38:39.033

2

You can use git log -- path/to/file to see the commits that modified the file.

It's especially convenient together with the -p flag, to include the diff (patch) that affected the file.

If you want to track the history of a file through renames, then also add --follow.

git log -p --follow -- path/to/file

edited Oct 15 '17 at 20:38

answered Oct 15 '17 at 20:33

janos

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sorry technical difficulties, it's up now – PositiveGuy Oct 15 '17 at 20:38

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 15 '17 at 20:35

1

You can, but it might be worth using git blame for this, it shows who made the last edit to each line in the file.

git blame

Useage is like this

git blame examplefile

answered Oct 15 '17 at 20:35

Dale

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 15 '17 at 20:34

0

git log accepts file names. If the file doesn’t exist in the current commit, you have to use -- before the name to avoid interpreting it as a revision name.

answered Oct 15 '17 at 20:34

Davis Herring

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Way to List All Changes on a File in Git

3 Answers3