Last updated: August 2025
Commit Graph PRO
The GitLens Commit Graph provides an interactive view of your repository history. It shows commits, branches, and collaborators in one place, helping you understand contributions and make faster decisions.
Open the Commit Graph
- Open the Command Palette:
- macOS: Cmd + Shift + P
- Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P
- Type Show Commit Graph and select it.
The Commit Graph opens in a new tab, where you can scroll through history and resize column widths.
Repository Information
At the top of the Commit Graph, you’ll see:
- Repository name
- Checked-out branch (click to switch branches)
- Last fetched time (click Fetch to update)
Availability
- The Commit Graph is available to all users for public and local repositories.
- A paid GitLens subscription or trial is required for use with private repositories.
Feedback
We’d love your input! Share ideas and feedback in the GitLens Commit Graph discussion on GitHub.
Configuration and Layout
You can configure the Commit Graph to control what information is shown and how it is displayed.
Columns
- Drag and drop column headers to rearrange columns.
- Right-click a column header to toggle columns on or off.
- The Changes column shows added lines in green and deleted lines in red.
Layout Options
- Panel Layout: Displays the Commit Graph in the bottom panel (near the Terminal) with a details view alongside it.
- Editor Layout: Opens the Commit Graph in an editor tab.
- You can open the Commit Graph in both layouts simultaneously.
To switch layouts:
- Select the settings gear in the top-right corner of the Commit Graph editor.
- Choose Prefer Commit Graph in Panel Layout or Prefer Commit Graph in Editor Area.
Compact Graph Layout
- Right-click the Graph column header and select Compact Graph Column Layout to reduce visual complexity.
- When the Author column is resized to minimum width, it shows avatars instead of text.
- Columns that become too narrow automatically switch to icons to preserve information.
Scroll Markers
Scroll markers highlight key points in the Commit Graph, including:
- Checked-out branches
- Selected rows
- Search results
Use scroll markers to quickly jump to important points such as HEAD or refs. You can toggle this feature in the Commit Graph settings.
Settings
Adjust Commit Graph settings from the Command Palette:
- macOS: Cmd + Shift + P
- Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P
Search for GitLens: Open Settings.
Rich Commit Search
The Commit Graph supports rich search across your entire repository. You can search by commit, message, author, file, or even specific code changes.
How to Search
- Type search criteria in the search bar.
- Use the arrow icons or keyboard shortcuts to navigate results:
- Next result: F3 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + G (macOS)
- Previous result: Shift + F3 (Windows/Linux) or Shift + Cmd + G (macOS)
You can also:
- Jump to the first or last result by holding Shift while clicking the arrow icons.
Search Filters
Use these filters in the search bar:
Commit:Message:Author:File:Change:@me
Additional options:
- Match all
- Match case
- Use regular expressions
Full Context Menu Support
You can right-click a branch, commit, tag, author, or column header (Author, Commit Date/Time, or SHA) to access context menu actions.
Helpful context menu actions include:
- Compare with Common Base: Review changes that would occur if the selected branch were merged by comparing its common ancestor (merge base) with the current branch.
- Open All Changes with Common Base: Review all merge changes in the multi-diff editor.
Pull Request Information
For GitHub and GitLab, the Commit Graph displays a Pull Request icon for any branch with an open pull request. To enable this, connect a rich integration.
Hiding Remotes, Branches, or Tags
The Commit Graph shows refs to your remotes, branches, and tags.
- Hover over any ref to use the Hide option.
- To show them again, hover over the Hide option at the top of the Commit Graph and select the desired refs.
Filter Options
Access filters from the dropdown menu to choose:
- Show Current Branch Only: Displays the current branch and its upstream remote.
- Show All Local Branches (default).
Additional options let you hide or show:
- Remote-only branches
- Stashes
- Tags
You can also dim merge commit rows for clarity.
Minimap (Experimental)
The Minimap provides a high-level overview of repository activity. It shows commits, branches, HEAD/upstream, and more, letting you quickly jump to points of interest.
- Select the Toggle Minimap icon in the Commit Graph toolbar to enable or disable it.
- Use the graph icon dropdown to switch between Commits or Lines Changed views.
- Toggle markers on or off from the same menu.
Minimap Overview
- Reads left to right: Left = most recent, right = older.
- Highlighted region: Area currently in view.
- Green lines: HEAD.
- Yellow lines: Search results.
- Upper row markers:
- Blue blocks = remote branches
- Brown blocks = tags
- Lower row markers:
- Pink blocks = stashes
- Blue blocks = local branches
Note: We’d love your feedback on the Minimap. Please share it on the GitHub Discussion board.
