Simplify this bash command

How to eliminate typing the search query twice in this one-liner (search for something)?

git grep "search for something" $(git log -g --pretty=format:%h -S"search for something")

---

My solution:

Create bash script /usr/local/bin/git-search:

search_string="$1"
git grep $search_string $(git log -g --pretty=format:%h -S$search_string)

Then I can use:

git search 'search for something'

From serverfault takeshin

• You can make that as an alias:

  alias youralias="git grep \"$0\" $(git log -g --pretty=format:%h -S\"$0\")"
  

  And then call it from shell like

  youralias "search for something"
  

  Does that work for you?

  ring0 : I thought that, according to the bash (alias) man, `There is no mechanism for using arguments in the replacement text. If arguments are needed, a shell function should be used.`

  Janne Pikkarainen : So that little gotcha is why I had a strange feeling that something is wrong while I was typing up my tip. Kyle got it right.
  From Janne Pikkarainen

• another option is to use bash history expansion:

  git grep "search for something" $(git log -g --pretty=format:%h -S!#:2)
  

  From Daniel

• You can put the following in a file and then source that file in your ~/.bashrc:

  function gitgrep {
      git grep "search for something" $(git log -g --pretty=format:%h -S"$1")
  }
  

  To source it you would just have period filename . file_with_function

  Then you would:

  gitgrep "foo bar baz" (Quotes needed, could play with $@ instead of $1 if you don't want to use the quotes)

  From Kyle Brandt

• While all these will work, if you are also wanting to shorten your base commands for git, just create a file in ~/.gitconfig and add some aliases. For example, here are some of mine:

  $ cat ~/.gitconfig
  [alias]
     ci = commit
     co = checkout
     f = fetch
     s = status
     b = branch
     d = diff
     a = add
     l = log
     g = grep
  

  So now, you could issue the following:

  git g "search for something" $(git l -g --pretty=format:%h -S"search for something")

  OR you could still have the git aliases in your .gitconfig file, but also incorporate other peoples bash functions, aliases, etc that were proposed in this thread.

  takeshin : Alias would be good, but for the whole command. Actually, alias with parameters. Unfortunately I don't know how to shorten this to: `git g 'search for something'` using alias. See update to my question for alternative solution.
  From drewrockshard