Using Git Rev-Parse to Print Commit IDs

In this short blog, let’s explore a small but very useful Git command: git rev-parse.
It is often used in scripts and automation to print commit IDs from references like branches or HEAD.

Example with Branch

First, check your commit history:

git log --oneline

Output:

c3e4f3c Third commit
9a7b1d2 Second commit
4b1c2a1 First commit

Now, if you want the commit ID of the branch main:

git rev-parse main

Output:

c3e4f3c7bdbe9d6b...

This is the hash of the commit currently pointed to by main.

Example with HEAD

To print the commit ID of the commit where HEAD is pointing:

git rev-parse HEAD

Output:

c3e4f3c7bdbe9d6b...

This is especially useful when you need the current commit hash for logging, debugging, or CI/CD pipelines.

Why Is This Useful?

Scripting and automation: Get commit IDs dynamically.
Debugging: Quickly check where branches or tags point.
Builds and deployments: Pass commit hashes to tools or logs.

Summary

git rev-parse <ref> prints the commit ID for the given reference.
Works with main, HEAD, or any branch/tag.
Commonly used in automation, scripts, and pipelines.

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