How to use the command "git authors" (with examples)
Git is a widely used version control system that allows developers to track changes to their codebase. The “git authors” command is part of the “git-extras” extension and provides a way to generate a list of committers for a Git repository. This list can be printed to the console or appended to an “AUTHORS” file.
Use case 1: Print a full list of committers to stdout
Code:
git authors --list
Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to quickly retrieve a list of all committers in a Git repository. This can be helpful in situations such as code review, to see who has contributed to the project, or to contact individuals for specific questions or collaboration requests.
Explanation: The “–list” flag is added to the “git authors” command to specify that the list of committers should be printed to the console instead of being appended to the “AUTHORS” file. By using this command, the full list of committers will be displayed in the terminal.
Example output:
John Doe<johndoe@example.com>
Jane Smith<janesmith@example.com>
...
Use case 2: Append the list of committers to the AUTHORS file and open it in the default editor
Code:
git authors
Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to maintain an “AUTHORS” file in the Git repository that includes the names and email addresses of all committers. This can be useful for attribution purposes, especially in open-source projects. Additionally, opening the file in the default editor allows for easy modification or further processing.
Explanation: In this case, no additional arguments are given to the “git authors” command. By default, the command will append the list of committers to the “AUTHORS” file and open it in the default editor for further editing or review.
Example output:
AUTHORS file opened in the default editor with the list of committers appended.
Use case 3: Append the list of committers, excluding emails, to the AUTHORS file and open it in the default editor
Code:
git authors --no-email
Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to add a list of committers to the “AUTHORS” file while excluding their email addresses. This can be useful in scenarios where the email addresses of the contributors are not necessary or where privacy concerns arise.
Explanation: The “–no-email” flag is added to the “git authors” command to exclude the email addresses of the committers while appending the list to the “AUTHORS” file. This command can help to protect the privacy of the contributors or to keep the “AUTHORS” file more focused on providing attribution without unnecessary personal information.
Example output:
John Doe
Jane Smith
...
Conclusion:
The “git authors” command provides a convenient way to generate a list of committers for a Git repository. With options to print to the console or append to an “AUTHORS” file, it allows for easy access to a comprehensive list of contributors. Additionally, the “–no-email” flag can be used to exclude email addresses from the list, providing more privacy-friendly attribution. Using these examples, developers can efficiently manage and document the contributors to their projects.
