If you use vim, you can do this within vim: :r !git log find the log entry you're interested in, move the cursor over the sha1 value, type yiw to yank it in

If you use vim, you can do this within vim: :r !git log find the log entry you're interested in, move the cursor over the sha1 value, type yiw to yank it into vim's " register (by default). Then open a new window by pressing ctrl-w n. In that window run :r !git show <ctrl-r "> where <ctrl-r "> will retrieve the sha1 value you yanked into the " register. It's fewer steps, doesn't require using the mouse, and allows you to see both the git log output and git show output in different adjacent windows. You can always press u to undo the change in the new window, switch windows to get back to the git log output, find another sha1 and repeat the process.