How to Exit Git Log or Git Diff

As a Git user, you may often find yourself in the situation where you need to navigate the log or diff of your repository.

And sometimes, you may want to quickly exit these views and return to the command line interface.

In this tutorial, we will discuss the various ways to exit Git log and Git diff.

Git Log

Git log is a command that displays the commit history of your repository.

To view the Git log, you can use the following command:

$ git log

Once you are inside the Git log view, you can use the following keys to exit:

• q: This is the most common and quickest way to exit Git log. Simply press the q key, and you will be taken back to the command line interface.
• ESC: If you are using a terminal that supports the ESC key, you can also use it to exit Git log. Pressing the ESC key will take you back to the command line interface.
• CTRL + C: If the above keys do not work, you can use the CTRL + C combination to exit Git log. This combination is a universal way to exit most terminal applications.

Git Diff

Git diff is a command that displays the difference between two versions of your repository.

To view the Git diff, you can use the following command:

$ git diff

Once you are inside the Git diff view, you can use the same keys as the Git log to exit:

• q
• ESC
• CTRL + C

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have discussed the various ways to exit Git log and Git diff.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced Git user, understanding these shortcuts can greatly improve your productivity when working with Git.

So, the next time you find yourself inside a Git log or Git diff, remember these keys and exit quickly and easily.