The helpers run Git relative to the current file’s directory, so Vim’s working directory can be elsewhere. Save the buffer first. Git errors are shown in the message area; uncommitted lines report Not committed yet, and a log search with no matches reports No commits found for the search term. A GitHub origin produces a commit URL; other remotes show the commit hash.
:Blame — inline blame for the current line
:BlamePrints the commit hash, author, subject, and GitHub URL for the line under the cursor — all in the Vim message area without leaving the file.
Example output:
Commit:
https://github.com/you/repo/commit/3b753cf8
- 3b753cf (Marian P) fix: handle edge case in parserHow it differs from fugitive's :Git blame
:Blame (custom) | :Git blame (fugitive) | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Inline message, stays in current buffer | Opens a full interactive split |
| Navigation | None | Full commit browsing with <Enter> |
| Speed | Instant | Loads full blame for the file |
Use :Blame for a quick "who wrote this line?" check. Use :Git blame when you want to navigate the history.
:LogSearch / <leader>gs — find which commit introduced a line
Searches git log -S (the "pickaxe") for the exact text of the current line or visual selection, within the current file’s history. It shows the earliest matching commit URL or hash, followed by matching commit details.
| Key / Command | Action |
|---|---|
<leader>gs | Search for current line (normal mode) |
<leader>gs | Search for selected text (visual mode) |
:'<,'>LogSearch | Same, via command |
When to use it
Use <leader>gs when you want to know which commit first added or removed a specific string, rather than who last touched the line (that's :Blame). It is especially useful for tracking down when a particular value, function call, or bug was introduced.
Example: cursor on a line containing MAX_RETRIES = 5:
<leader>gs → finds the commit that first introduced that exact textRelation to vim-rhubarb's :GBrowse
Both tools build a GitHub URL, but for different purposes:
| Tool | Opens / shows |
|---|---|
:Blame | Commit URL in the message area (stay in Vim) |
:GBrowse | Opens file / line / commit in the browser |
<leader>gs | Commit URL for the line's origin in the message area |