Git: Display a list of recently checked out branches/tags/commits

git-recent

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Source: https://gist.github.com/jordan-brough/48e2803c0ffa6dc2e0bd
# See also: https://stackoverflow.com/a/25095062/58876

# Download this script as "git-recent" (no extension), chmod it to be executable and put it in your
# path somewhere (e.g. /usr/bin). You can then use it via `git recent` from inside any git repo.

# Examples:

# Interactive prompt for most recent 4 branches:
#   $ git recent -n 5
#   1) master  4) deleted-branch
#   2) stable  5) improve-everything
#   3) fun
#   Choose a branch: 2

# List mode (non-interactive):
#   $ git recent -n 5 -l
#   master
#   stable
#   fun
#   deleted-branch
#   improve-everything

# Verify branch existence:
#   $ git recent -n 5 -l -e
#   master
#   stable
#   fun
#   improve-everything
#   something-else
#   # (notice "deleted-branch" removed from results)

# Contributors:
#   - jordan-brough
#   - fritz-c

usage()
{
  echo "usage: git recent [-n lines] [-l] [-e]"
}

while getopts "hn:le" opt; do
  case $opt in
    h) # help
      usage
      exit 1
      ;;
    n) # number of results
      NUM=$OPTARG
      ;;
    l) # list mode (non-interactive)
      INTERACTIVE=0
      ;;
    e) # validate existence
      CHECK_EXISTENCE=1
      ;;
    \?)
      usage
      exit 1
      ;;
  esac
done

NUM=${NUM-10} # default to 10 lines
INTERACTIVE=${INTERACTIVE-1} # default to interactive
CHECK_EXISTENCE=${CHECK_EXISTENCE-0} # default to *not* checking existence (faster)

BRANCHES=(
  $(git reflog |
    egrep -io "moving from ([^[:space:]]+)" |
    awk '{ print $3 }' | # extract 3rd column
    awk ' !x[$0]++' | # Removes duplicates.  See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11532157
    egrep -v '^[a-f0-9]{40}$' | # remove hash results
    while read line; do # verify existence
      ([[ $CHECK_EXISTENCE = '0' ]] || git rev-parse --verify "$line" &>/dev/null) && echo "$line"
    done |
    head -n "$NUM"
  )
)

if [[ $INTERACTIVE = '1' ]]; then
  PS3="Choose a branch: "

  select d in "${BRANCHES[@]}"; do
    test -n "$d" && break;
    echo ">>> Invalid Selection";
  done

  git checkout "$d"
else
  printf '%s\n' "${BRANCHES[@]}"
fi

@crazyones110 To force a checkout, but in hindsight this is quite dangerous as we wouldn't know what's stopping us from switching branch on the first run so nvm. What would be nicer is if the script warns you about uncommitted changes and then follows up with asking if you want to force checkout anyway because a lot of times what stops me are silly things like lockfiles after installing depenendencies, e.g.

Choose a branch: 1
error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout:
        yarn.lock
Please commit your changes or stash them before you switch branches.
Aborting