git_view

Minimal Git GUI for Linux (Ubuntu), focused on branch history and merge operations. Built with Qt 6 and the system git CLI.

Application version is defined in VERSION (used by CMake and the running app). For Debian packages, bump the upstream part in debian/changelog to match.

Requirements

• CMake 3.16+
• C++17 compiler
• Qt 6 Widgets (qt6-base-dev on Ubuntu)
• Git 2.34+
• macOS/Linux: POSIX PTY for the built-in terminal (bundled libvterm)

Ubuntu

sudo apt install build-essential cmake git qt6-base-dev

macOS (Homebrew)

brew install qt@6 cmake git
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="$(brew --prefix qt@6)"

Build

cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
cmake --build build
./build/src/git_view

On macOS, pass CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH if Qt is not found automatically (see above).

macOS package (.dmg)

Build a self-contained .app with bundled Qt libraries:

brew install qt@6 cmake git
chmod +x packaging/build-macos.sh
./packaging/build-macos.sh
open dist/git_view-*-macos.dmg

Drag git_view.app to Applications. Git must be available in PATH (Xcode Command Line Tools or brew install git).

Run without installing:

open build-macos/src/git_view.app

Terminal

The bottom panel is a real interactive terminal (PTY + VT100 emulator): you can run git, vim, htop, pagers, and full-screen programs. Working directory is the repository root. Press Ctrl+` to focus it.

Tests

cmake -B build -DGIT_VIEW_BUILD_TESTS=ON
cmake --build build
ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure

Create a sample repository for manual testing:

./tests/fixtures/create_fixture_repo.sh /tmp/git_view-fixture
./build/src/git_view
# File → Open repository → /tmp/git_view-fixture

Command line

git_view --help
git_view /path/to/repo
git_view --repo /path/to/repo --action working-changes
git_view --action file-history --file src/main.cpp /path/to/repo
git_view --action file-diff --diff-scope staged --file README.md /path/to/repo

Actions: open, working-changes, file-history, file-diff, commit, log.

File manager integration (Ubuntu / Nautilus)

Debian package (recommended on Ubuntu)

sudo apt install build-essential devscripts debhelper cmake g++ qt6-base-dev
./packaging/build-deb.sh
sudo apt install ./git-view_*.deb
nautilus -q

The package installs:

Component	Path
Application	/usr/bin/git_view
Menu entry	Applications → Development → git_view
Nautilus scripts	Scripts → GitView
Context menu extension	main menu (needs python3-nautilus, recommended)

Recommended packages for full Nautilus menu:

sudo apt install nautilus python3-nautilus python3-gi zenity

Manual install (from source tree)

TortoiseGit-style context menu for git repositories:

chmod +x integrations/install-nautilus-integration.sh
./integrations/install-nautilus-integration.sh /path/to/git_view
nautilus -q

• Scripts → GitView — works without extra packages.
• Direct context menu items — install python3-nautilus, then re-run the installer.

Configuration (manual install only): ~/.config/git_view/integration.conf (GIT_VIEW_BIN).

Features (current)

• Open local repository, list branches (local and remote)
• Commit history with branch graph (lane layout) and metadata columns
• Commit details panel: file list + per-file diff (git show, syntax highlighting)
• Working tree tab: uncommitted/staged changes (git status, git diff)
• Commit working tree changes (git add -A, git commit) via dialog
• Create branches (git branch / git checkout -b, optional base ref)
• Merge branch into current (optional --no-ff, conflict file list, abort merge)
• Load more commits (pagination in pages of 500)

Project layout

src/
  core/     Domain models, GraphLayout
  git/      Git CLI wrapper and parsers
  ui/       MainWindow, CommitHistoryView, CommitDetailsPanel
tests/
  fixtures/ Sample repo generator

staged-test