In git, obtain commits using git log with path

Question

I would like to obtain the last 10 commits using git log specifying the path of my repository. I used the option -path but I have "is outside repository" error

 git log --no-merges -10 -p /home/my_folder/git/repo

 fatal: /home/my_folder/git/repo: '/home/my_folder/git/repo' is outside repository

The comand is running for example in the folder /home

Puzzle

Answer 1

Git assumes that the current working directory is inside the repository you want to operate on. When running a git command from outside the repository directory hierarchy, you can use the global -C option to git to specify which repository to use:

git -C /home/my_folder/git/repo log --no-merges -10 -p

Usually it's probably easier to simply cd to your repository before running git commands.

Jueta

When running a git command from outside the repository directory hierarchy [...] Do you mean "from outside any repo"? The error message indicates that the OP runs that git log command from within some repo; otherwise s/he would have gotten fatal: Not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git. – Delibes

@Jubobs: As stated in the first sentence of my answer, I meant from outside the repo you want to operate on. Whether you are in a different repo or not is immaterial – you will have to tell git what repository to use either way. – Jueta

Answer 2

It's worth noting that the -C flag for git log only appeared starting from git 1.8.5 and up https://git-scm.com/docs/git/1.8.5

For older versions of git here are your options:

1.Manually move to the directory:

cd /home/my_folder/git/repo && git log --no-merges -10 && cd - 

2.Specify the --git-dir parameter:

git --git-dir /home/my_folder/git/repo/.git log --no-merges -10

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