Question 1

How does git bisect work?

Accepted Answer

Git bisect uses a binary search. You provide a "good" and a "bad" commit, and Git places you in the middle. At each step you test and say whether it's good or bad. Git halves the search space each time, so even with 1000 commits, it takes roughly 10 steps.

Question 2

Can git bisect be automated?

Accepted Answer

Yes! With git bisect run <script>. Git runs your script on each commit: if the script returns 0 (success) it's "good", otherwise it's "bad". Example: git bisect run npm test. Perfect for bugs detectable by a test.

Question 3

What if a commit cannot be tested?

Accepted Answer

Use git bisect skip to tell Git to skip that commit. Git will choose a neighboring commit instead. This is useful when a commit doesn't compile or is in an untestable state.

Question 4

How do I exit git bisect?

Accepted Answer

Run git bisect reset to end the bisect session and return to your original branch. If you forget, you'll remain in a "detached HEAD" state on one of the intermediate commits.

Question 5

Does bisect work with merges?

Accepted Answer

Yes, bisect works with non-linear history (merges). Git intelligently chooses which commits to test. However, complex histories with many merges may require a few extra steps.

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Git bisect: find the faulty commit

How does bisect work?

Start

Test

Good/Bad

Found!

Git bisect in practice

Start the search

Test and find

Automate bisect with a script

Related commands

Questions about git bisect

Practice debugging in GitQuest