author-contributions

Tracing an author's file contributions across git branches involves auditing commit history by comparing a feature branch against its upstream. This process identifies all specific files touched by an author and traces code lineage directly through file renames using git log sequences.

Auditing code ownership before a merge requires comparing the feature branch against its upstream and filtering commit logs by author. This generates a concise table classifying each modified file as either a direct contribution or a contribution via rename.

Yes, you can verify the exact files a specific author touched on a feature branch by running a sequence of git diff and diff-tree commands against upstream. This audit produces a detailed summary table classifying all direct and renamed file contributions.

Git tracks file contributions through renames by executing diff commands that detect renamed files and trace their historical commit logs. This mechanism classifies contributed files as VIA_RENAME instead of DIRECT, ensuring accurate authorship auditing across branches.

Git log alone does not comprehensively show files contributed by an author compared to upstream. It must be combined with git diff-tree and git diff --stat commands to classify file contributions and trace them through branch renames effectively.

Limitations of auditing authorship across git branches include potential inaccuracies if file renames are not detected by git diff commands. The audit relies strictly on comparing the branch to its upstream, meaning uncommitted local changes fall outside this scope.