Git Changes Zipper

A simple bash script to create zip archives of modified files between two git commits while preserving the original folder structure.

📋 Prerequisites

• Git repository (initialized and synchronized with GitHub)
• Bash shell
• zip utility (usually pre-installed on most Linux/macOS systems)

🚀 Setup

1. Add to Your Project

Clone or add this tool to your project folder that is synchronized with your GitHub repository:

# Option 1: Clone the repository into your project
git clone https://github.com/your-username/git-changes-zipper.git
cd git-changes-zipper

# Option 2: Download just the script file
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/your-username/git-changes-zipper/main/zip-modified.sh
# or
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/your-username/git-changes-zipper/main/zip-modified.sh

2. Make Script Executable

Give executable permissions to the script:

sudo chmod +x zip-modified.sh

📖 Usage

The script compares two commits and creates a zip file containing all modified files between them.

Basic Syntax

./zip-modified.sh <start-commit-id> <end-commit-id> [--dry-run]

Parameters

• start-commit-id: The starting commit hash (should be one commit before where you want to start checking)
• end-commit-id: The ending commit hash
• --dry-run (optional): Preview mode - shows what files would be zipped without creating the archive

Examples

1. Dry Run (Preview Mode)

Test what files would be included without creating a zip:

./zip-modified.sh abc123 def456 --dry-run

Output:

Files changed between abc123 and def456 (excluding specified files/dirs):
src/components/Header.js
src/styles/main.css
package.json
[Dry-run] Would zip these files while preserving folder structure.

2. Create Zip Archive

Generate the actual zip file with modified files:

./zip-modified.sh abc123 def456

Output:

Files changed between abc123 and def456 (excluding specified files/dirs):
src/components/Header.js
src/styles/main.css
package.json
Created zip archive: changes_abc123_to_def456_20241201_143052.zip

🔍 Finding Commit IDs

Method 1: Using git log

# View recent commits with short hashes
git log --oneline -10

# View detailed commit history
git log --graph --pretty=format:'%h - %an, %ar : %s'

Method 2: Using GitHub Web Interface

1. Go to your repository on GitHub
2. Click on "Commits" tab
3. Copy the commit hash (first 7-8 characters are sufficient)

Method 3: Using git reflog

# See recent HEAD movements
git reflog

📁 Output

The script creates a zip file with the following naming convention:

changes_<start-commit>_to_<end-commit>_<timestamp>.zip

Example: changes_abc123_to_def456_20241201_143052.zip

The zip file maintains the original folder structure of your project, so extracted files will be in their correct relative paths.

🚫 Excluded Files/Directories

The script automatically excludes the following files and directories:

• public-old/ directory and its contents
• .vscode/ directory and its contents
• .cursor/ directory and its contents
• changes.sql file
• .gitignore file

💡 Tips and Best Practices

1. Understanding Start Commit

⚠️ Important: The start-commit-id should be one commit before the actual starting point you want to check.

Example scenario:

• You want to see changes from commit B to commit D
• Use commit A as the start-commit-id
• Git diff will show: A → B → C → D (changes from A to D, which includes your desired B to D)

A (use this) → B (actual start) → C → D (end)

2. Always Test with Dry Run

# Always run dry-run first to preview
./zip-modified.sh abc123 def456 --dry-run

# If satisfied with the preview, run actual command
./zip-modified.sh abc123 def456

3. Using Short Commit Hashes

You don't need the full commit hash - first 7-8 characters are sufficient:

# Full hash (works)
./zip-modified.sh a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0 x9y8z7w6v5u4t3s2r1q0

# Short hash (recommended)
./zip-modified.sh a1b2c3d x9y8z7w

🛠 Troubleshooting

Error: "This is not a git repository"

Solution: Ensure you're running the script from within a git repository:

git status  # Verify you're in a git repo

Error: "Start commit 'xyz' not found"

Solution: Verify the commit hash exists:

git log --oneline | grep xyz
# or
git show xyz

Error: Permission denied

Solution: Make sure the script has executable permissions:

ls -la zip-modified.sh  # Check permissions
sudo chmod +x zip-modified.sh  # Add execute permission

No files found between commits

This could mean:

1. The commits are identical
2. The start and end commits are in wrong order
3. All changes are in excluded directories

📝 License

[Add your license information here]

🤝 Contributing

[Add contribution guidelines here]

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Need help? Open an issue in this repository or contact [your-email@example.com]