Git Revision Syntax

Single Commits

^N picks parent N of one commit (merge-aware). ~N walks N first-parent steps. Different.

Ranges

git log origin/main..HEAD              # unpushed
git log --left-right main...feature    # side-marked
git log HEAD --not release/*

Content-Based Selectors

git log -S"token"                  # commits where literal token count changed
git log -S"pat" --pickaxe-regex
git log -G"regex"                  # commits touching any matching line
git log -L :funcName:file.js       # evolution of a function
git log -L 10,20:file.js           # evolution of line range

-S = added/removed detection; -G = any line touching pattern.

Plumbing

git rev-parse HEAD~3               # resolve to full SHA
git merge-base A B                 # nearest common ancestor
git name-rev <sha>                 # which branch/tag contains it

Pitfalls

• Reflog selectors (@{N}, @{time}) are local, expire (~90 days).
• HEAD^ in zsh/PowerShell needs quoting.
• A..B is empty if B is an ancestor of A — probably want B..A.