---
source_keys:
  - context7-git-htmldocs
---

# Comparing two branches

The two-dot and three-dot forms mean different things and are easy to swap by accident — check the
direction before reporting a result.

- `git log main..feature` — commits on `feature` that are not on `main`.
- `git log feature..main` — the reverse direction: commits on `main` not on `feature`.
- `git log --left-right main...feature` — both diverging sets at once (symmetric difference).
- `git diff main...feature` — the diff from the common ancestor to `feature`'s tip, which is what
  a reviewer sees, rather than the diff between the two tips.
- `git merge-base main feature` — print the common ancestor commit.