Git Find Commit By Message - Shell/Bash

Have you ever found yourself searching for a specific commit in Git with only a vague idea of its message? Fear not, for there is a handy command to help you out: git log --grep=<pattern>.

The Command

The git log --grep=<pattern> command allows you to search for commits that contain a certain pattern in their commit message. It has several options to help you refine your search, such as specifying a range of commits or only searching in certain branches.

Here is the basic syntax of the command:

git log --grep=<pattern>

Where <pattern> is the string you want to search for in the commit messages.

Example Usage

Let's say you want to find all commits that mention the word "bug" in their commit message. You would run:

git log --grep=bug

This will return a list of all matching commits, along with their SHA-1 hash, author, and commit message.

You can also use regular expressions to narrow down your search to specific patterns. For example, to find all commits with a message that starts with "Fix:", you would run:

git log --grep='^Fix:'

Conclusion

The git log --grep=<pattern> command is a useful tool for finding commits based on their commit message. By using this command, you can save yourself time and effort by quickly locating the commits you need to work with.

Remember to use the --grep=<pattern> option along with other options, such as specifying a range of commits or limiting the search to specific branches, to further refine your search.