Day 23/30 - Git Shortlog: Summarize Commit Contributions by Author
#programming#git#github#productivity
Ruqaiya Beguwala

Ruqaiya Beguwala @ruqaiya_beguwala

About: 👨‍💻 | Software Developer | Open-Source Enthusiast | JavaScript & NodeJS | Think and write about code every single minute

Location:
India
Joined:
Apr 26, 2025

Day 23/30 - Git Shortlog: Summarize Commit Contributions by Author

Publish Date: Jun 13
0 1

Introduction

When working with Git, tracking contributions from different authors is essential for understanding project history and collaboration. git shortlog is a powerful command that summarizes commit contributions by author, making it easy to see who contributed what.

Whether you're managing an open-source project, reviewing team contributions, or generating release notes, git shortlog provides a clean, organized way to view commit statistics.

How to Use git shortlog

The basic syntax of git shortlog is:

git shortlog [options] [<revision range>] [--] [<path>...]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Basic Example

To see a summary of all commits grouped by author:

git shortlog
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Sample Output:

John Doe (5):
      Fix login page styling
      Update README.md
      Refactor user authentication

Jane Smith (3):
      Add API documentation
      Fix bug in payment processing
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Filter by Revision Range

To see contributions between two commits (e.g., v1.0 and v2.0):

git shortlog v1.0..v2.0
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Sort by Number of Commits

Use -n (or --numbered) to sort authors by commit count:

git shortlog -n
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Show Only Commit Counts

Use -s (or --summary) to display only commit counts:

git shortlog -s
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Output:

    10  John Doe
     5  Jane Smith
     2  Alex Brown
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode
Combine with -e to Show Emails

To include email addresses:

git shortlog -e
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Output:

John Doe <john@example.com> (5):
      Fix login page styling
      ...
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Common Use Cases

1. Generating Release Notes

Summarize changes since the last release:

git shortlog v2.0..HEAD
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Output:

John Doe (3):
      Add dark mode support
      Fix mobile responsiveness
      Update dependencies

Jane Smith (1):
      Patch security vulnerability
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

2. Tracking Team Contributions

Check contributions in a specific directory (e.g., src/):

git shortlog -n -- src/
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

3. Finding Top Contributors

List authors sorted by most commits:

git shortlog -sn
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Output:

    42  John Doe
    31  Jane Smith
    15  Alex Brown
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

4. Checking External Contributions

View commits from a specific author:

git shortlog --author="Jane Smith"
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Tips and Tricks

1. Exclude Merge Commits

Use --no-merges to filter out merge commits:

git shortlog -sn --no-merges
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

2. Group by Email Instead of Name

Sometimes contributors use different names but the same email. Group by email with:

git shortlog -e -s
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

3. Limit Output to Top N Contributors

Combine with head to see only the top 5 contributors:

git shortlog -sn | head -5
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

4. Use with git log for Detailed Reports

Get a summary and then drill into details:

git shortlog -sn
git log --author="John Doe" --oneline
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Conclusion

git shortlog is a versatile tool for summarizing commit contributions, making it invaluable for project maintainers, team leads, and developers. Whether you're generating reports, tracking work, or preparing release notes, this command helps you quickly understand contributions in a Git repository.

Try integrating git shortlog into your workflow—whether for code reviews, sprint retrospectives, or open-source maintenance—and see how it improves visibility into your project’s history!

Further Reading:

Would you like a custom script to automate git shortlog reports? Let us know in the comments! 🚀

Up Next in the Series: git diff --word-diff – See word-level changes, not just lines

Daily advance GIT tips in your inbox---worth starting? Respond to my poll here🚀

For more useful and innovative tips and tricks, Let's connect on Medium

Comments 1 total

  • Admin
    AdminJun 13, 2025

    Hey authors! Here’s something exciting: We're offering your special Dev.to drop for our top content creators. Click here here (instant distribution). – Dev.to Community Support

Add comment