git-gui Git Command Guide
The git gui command provides a portable graphical user interface to Git based on Tcl/Tk. It focuses on commit generation, branch creation, merging, and repository browsing, working across UNIX, macOS, and Windows platforms.
git gui Syntax:
Section titled “git gui Syntax:”git gui [<command>] [<arguments>]Command Subcommands:
Section titled “Command Subcommands:”| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| (none) | Start the main GUI interface |
| blame | Start blame viewer on file at specified revision |
| browser | Browse tree at specified commit |
| citool | Single-commit mode interface |
| version | Display git gui version |
Arguments:
Section titled “Arguments:”| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
| File path for blame/browser operations | |
| Commit or tree object to examine | |
| Additional arguments for specific subcommands |
git gui Command Samples:
Section titled “git gui Command Samples:”Start main GUI interface
Section titled “Start main GUI interface”git guiOpens the standard git-gui interface for commit creation and repository management.
Single commit mode (git-gui for commit templates)
Section titled “Single commit mode (git-gui for commit templates)”git gui citoolStarts simplified interface for making exactly one commit before exiting.
Blame viewer for current file
Section titled “Blame viewer for current file”git gui blame MakefileShows blame annotations for Makefile in working directory, attributing changes to “Not Yet Committed” for unstages changes.
Blame viewer for specific revision
Section titled “Blame viewer for specific revision”git gui blame v1.0 MakefileShows file content at v1.0 tag with blame annotations showing original authors.
Tree browser for commit
Section titled “Tree browser for commit”git gui browser HEADOpens tree browser showing all files at HEAD commit for exploration.
Blame on uncommitted file with changes
Section titled “Blame on uncommitted file with changes”echo "# new line" >> file.txtgit gui blame file.txtShows working directory file with unstaged changes marked as “Not Yet Committed”.
Open blame from gitk interface
Section titled “Open blame from gitk interface”gitk --select-commit=<commit> && git gui blame <file>Use gitk to find commit, then use git gui to see detailed file annotations.
How does git gui differ from gitk?
Section titled “How does git gui differ from gitk?”While git gui is for creating commits, amending changes, and managing staging, gitk is strictly for browsing repository history and visualizing the commit graph without providing editing capabilities.
Can git gui edit individual lines or only manage whole files?
Section titled “Can git gui edit individual lines or only manage whole files?”git gui stages complete files by default but can be configured to do line-by-line staging. Use the “Stage Lines” option when right-clicking in the diff view to stage individual changed lines.
What’s the difference between the main interface and citool?
Section titled “What’s the difference between the main interface and citool?”citool is a simplified interface specifically for making commits in scripted scenarios. It removes history browsing and branch management features to focus purely on commit creation.
Does git gui support merge conflicts?
Section titled “Does git gui support merge conflicts?”git gui provides conflict resolution tools including visual merge interface. When conflicts exist, git gui shows conflicted files and allows resolving conflicts through a visual interface before staging.
Can I use git gui without Tcl/Tk installed?
Section titled “Can I use git gui without Tcl/Tk installed?”No, git gui requires Tcl/Tk runtime which must be separately installed. Without Tcl/Tk, git gui will fail to start. Consider installing Tcl/Tk from your system’s package manager.
How does blame work in git gui?
Section titled “How does blame work in git gui?”git gui blame annotates each line with the author who last modified it, showing commit date and originator. It colors differently based on author and provides line-by-line history information.
Is git gui good for learning Git?
Section titled “Is git gui good for learning Git?”git gui provides visual feedback for Git operations and can help beginners understand staging and commit workflows. However, learning command-line Git provides more comprehensive understanding.
Can git gui handle binary files?
Section titled “Can git gui handle binary files?”git gui works with binary files for staging/unstaging but cannot show diffs for binary content. Use git command line for binary file operations and rely on git gui for other repository management.
Does git gui support git submodules?
Section titled “Does git gui support git submodules?”git gui has limited submodule support. While it can show submodule status, most submodule operations should be performed using command-line git submodule commands.
What platforms does git gui support?
Section titled “What platforms does git gui support?”git gui works on all platforms supported by Git: Linux, macOS, Windows, and others. It uses native UI guidelines per platform (GTK on Linux, native Windows API, etc.).
How do I configure git gui for my workflow?
Section titled “How do I configure git gui for my workflow?”git gui can be configured through git config variables like gui.editor for the text editor, gui.diffcontext for diff viewing context, and gui.encoding for character encoding.
Applications of the git gui command
Section titled “Applications of the git gui command”- Visual Commit Creation: GUI interface for staging files and writing commit messages
- Beginner-Friendly Git: Visual representation of staging area and commit preparation
- Merge Conflict Resolution: Visual tools for resolving merge conflicts interactively
- Code Review Integration: Blame viewer for understanding code authorship and history
- Rapid Prototyping: Quick commits and branch management during development sprints
- Cross-Platform Git: Portable interface across different operating systems