Identifying Local Git Commits Not Yet Pushed

Understanding Local vs. Remote Git Commits

Git is a distributed version control system, meaning each developer has a complete copy of the project history locally. This enables offline work and faster operations. However, it also introduces the concept of diverging histories – your local repository can have commits that haven’t been shared with the remote repository (like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket), and vice versa. This tutorial will guide you through various ways to identify those local commits that haven’t been pushed to the remote.

Core Concepts: Revisions and Range Notation

Before diving into specific commands, it’s helpful to understand how Git refers to commits (revisions) and how to specify ranges of commits.

• HEAD: This special reference always points to the most recent commit on your currently checked-out branch.
• origin/master (or similar): This refers to the remote tracking branch. origin is the conventional name for the remote repository, and master is the branch name on that remote. It represents the last known state of the remote branch as your local repository knows it.
• .. (Double Dot): This notation defines a range. A..B means "all commits reachable from B, but not reachable from A." In other words, it shows you the commits on branch B that are not on branch A.

Identifying Unpushed Commits

Here are several methods to list your unpushed commits:

1. git log origin/master..HEAD

This is often the most straightforward approach. It displays all commits reachable from HEAD (your current branch’s latest commit) that are not reachable from origin/master.

git log origin/master..HEAD

If you’re on a branch other than master, replace origin/master with the corresponding remote tracking branch (e.g., origin/develop).

2. git log @{u}..

This is a more generalized version that works regardless of your branch name. @{u} (or @upstream) represents the upstream branch configured for your current branch. This command lists commits reachable from HEAD that are not reachable from the upstream branch.

git log @{u}..

To configure an upstream branch, you can use:

git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/<branch_name> <local_branch_name>

3. Viewing Unpushed Commits on All Branches

If you want to see all unpushed commits across all branches in your local repository, you can use the following command:

git log --branches --not --remotes

This command does the following:

• --branches: Considers all local branches.
• --not --remotes: Excludes commits that are present in any remote tracking branch.

4. Concise Output with git cherry

The git cherry command is designed to identify commits that have not been applied upstream. It provides a concise output listing the commit hashes and commit messages.

git cherry -v

The -v flag provides more verbose output, including the commit message.

5. One-Line Summary with git log --simplify-by-decoration

For a very concise one-line summary of unpushed commits on all branches, combined with branch names, use:

git log --branches --not --remotes --simplify-by-decoration --decorate --oneline

This command adds the following options:

• --simplify-by-decoration: Shows only commits that are reachable by a branch or tag.
• --decorate: Displays branch and tag names alongside the commit.
• --oneline: Condenses the output to a single line per commit.

Best Practices

• Regularly Fetch: Before checking your unpushed commits, always git fetch to update your remote tracking branches. This ensures you have the latest information from the remote.
• Understand Your Remote: Know the name of your remote (usually origin) and the branches you’re tracking.
• Choose the Right Tool: The best command depends on your specific needs. git log origin/master..HEAD is often sufficient for a single branch. git log --branches --not --remotes is useful for a repository-wide view. git cherry offers a concise listing.