git: list branches by recent activity

15 Oct, 2025 • 59 words • 1 min • updated 03 Jan, 2026

Tweak ~/.gitconfig:

     ini
     
   
[alias]
  xl = branch -vv

[branch]
	sort = -committerdate

Result: git xl will print your repository branches sorted by the most recent ones in terms of activity, instead of the alphabetical default.

I have this setting for a long time, and IMHO it’s a better default.

This post by Tekin Süleyman prompted me to share it.