Make commit history easier to scan and review (#2146)

* feat(app): improve commit history and diff review

* fix(app): keep commit timestamps current

* fix(app): pause hidden commit clocks

* fix(app): reopen commit diff in persistence test

packages/app/e2e/commit-diff-panel.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { test, expect } from "./fixtures";
+
+const COMMIT_SUBJECT = "Show commit timestamps";
+
+test("commit history shows dates and shares diff layout preferences", async ({
+  page,
+  withWorkspace,
+}) => {
+  const workspace = await withWorkspace({ prefix: "commit-diff-panel-" });
+  await createFeatureCommit(workspace.repoPath);
+  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1400, height: 900 });
+  await workspace.navigateTo();
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Open explorer" }).click();
+  const commitsSection = page.getByRole("button", { name: /Commits/i });
+  await expect(commitsSection).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 });
+  await commitsSection.click();
+
+  const commitRow = page.locator('[data-testid^="commit-row-"]').filter({
+    hasText: COMMIT_SUBJECT,
+  });
+  await expect(commitRow).toContainText(COMMIT_SUBJECT, { timeout: 30_000 });
+  await expect(commitRow).toContainText("Jan 15");
+  await commitRow.click();
+
+  const panel = page.getByTestId("commit-diff-panel").filter({ visible: true });
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-toolbar")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 });
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-layout-unified")).toHaveAttribute(
+    "aria-selected",
+    "true",
+  );
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("diff-code-row-0")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 });
+
+  await panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-layout-split").click();
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-layout-split")).toHaveAttribute(
+    "aria-selected",
+    "true",
+  );
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("diff-code-row-0")).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("diff-file-0-body")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.getByTestId(/^workspace-commit-diff-close-/).click();
+  await expect(panel).toHaveCount(0);
+  await commitRow.click();
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-layout-split")).toHaveAttribute(
+    "aria-selected",
+    "true",
+    { timeout: 30_000 },
+  );
+
+  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 480, height: 900 });
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("commit-diff-toolbar")).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(panel.getByTestId("diff-code-row-0")).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+async function createFeatureCommit(repoPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  execFileSync("git", ["checkout", "-b", "feature"], { cwd: repoPath, stdio: "ignore" });
+  await writeFile(path.join(repoPath, "feature.txt"), "before\nafter\n");
+  execFileSync("git", ["add", "feature.txt"], { cwd: repoPath, stdio: "ignore" });
+  execFileSync("git", ["commit", "-m", COMMIT_SUBJECT], {
+    cwd: repoPath,
+    stdio: "ignore",
+    env: {
+      ...process.env,
+      GIT_AUTHOR_DATE: "2020-01-15T12:00:00Z",
+      GIT_COMMITTER_DATE: "2020-01-15T12:00:00Z",
+    },
+  });
+}

packages/app/src/git/commits-section/commit-row.tsx

@@ -3,14 +3,16 @@ import { Pressable, Text, View } from "react-native";
 import { StyleSheet } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import type { CheckoutCommit } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
 import { ThemedChevron, chevronColorMapping } from "@/git/themed-chevron";
+import { formatTimeAgo } from "@/utils/time";
 import { dotStyles } from "./shared";
 
 interface CommitRowProps {
   commit: CheckoutCommit;
+  now: Date;
   onCommitPress: (sha: string) => void;
 }
 
-export const CommitRow = memo(function CommitRow({ commit, onCommitPress }: CommitRowProps) {
+export const CommitRow = memo(function CommitRow({ commit, now, onCommitPress }: CommitRowProps) {
   const handlePress = useCallback(() => {
     onCommitPress(commit.sha);
   }, [commit.sha, onCommitPress]);
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ export const CommitRow = memo(function CommitRow({ commit, onCommitPress }: Comm
       <Text style={styles.subject} numberOfLines={1}>
         {commit.subject}
       </Text>
+      <Text style={styles.timestamp}>{formatTimeAgo(new Date(commit.authorDate), now)}</Text>
       <View style={styles.caret}>
         <ThemedChevron size={14} uniProps={chevronColorMapping} />
       </View>
@@ -58,6 +61,11 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
     fontSize: theme.fontSize.sm,
     color: theme.colors.foreground,
   },
+  timestamp: {
+    flexShrink: 0,
+    fontSize: theme.fontSize.xs,
+    color: theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
+  },
   caret: {
     width: 16,
     height: 16,

packages/app/src/git/commits-section/commits-section.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import { Pressable, Text, View } from "react-native";
 import { StyleSheet } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useRetainedPanelActive } from "@/components/retained-panel";
 import { useChangesPreferences } from "@/hooks/use-changes-preferences";
 import { useCheckoutCommitsQuery, type CheckoutCommitsQueryResult } from "@/git/use-commits-query";
 import { ThemedChevron, chevronColorMapping } from "@/git/themed-chevron";
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ function CommitsSectionSkeleton() {
           <View style={styles.skeletonDot} />
           <View style={styles.skeletonSha} />
           <View style={styles.skeletonSubject} />
+          <View style={styles.skeletonTimestamp} />
+          <View style={styles.skeletonCaret} />
         </View>
       ))}
     </View>
@@ -38,9 +41,11 @@ function CommitsSectionSkeleton() {
 
 function CommitsSectionContent({
   query,
+  now,
   onCommitPress,
 }: {
   query: Exclude<CheckoutCommitsQueryResult, { status: "unsupported" }>;
+  now: Date;
   onCommitPress: (sha: string) => void;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@ function CommitsSectionContent({
   return (
     <View style={styles.list}>
       {query.data.commits.map((commit) => (
-        <CommitRow key={commit.sha} commit={commit} onCommitPress={onCommitPress} />
+        <CommitRow key={commit.sha} commit={commit} now={now} onCommitPress={onCommitPress} />
       ))}
     </View>
   );
@@ -73,7 +78,10 @@ function CommitsSectionContent({
 export function CommitsSection({ serverId, cwd, onCommitPress }: CommitsSectionProps) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { preferences, updatePreferences } = useChangesPreferences();
+  const isPanelActive = useRetainedPanelActive();
   const collapsed = preferences.commitsCollapsed;
+  const [now, setNow] = useState(() => new Date());
+  const displayNow = useMemo(() => (isPanelActive ? new Date() : now), [isPanelActive, now]);
   const query = useCheckoutCommitsQuery({
     serverId,
     cwd,
@@ -81,9 +89,20 @@ export function CommitsSection({ serverId, cwd, onCommitPress }: CommitsSectionP
   });
 
   const handleToggleSection = useCallback(() => {
+    if (collapsed) {
+      setNow(new Date());
+    }
     void updatePreferences({ commitsCollapsed: !collapsed });
   }, [collapsed, updatePreferences]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (collapsed || !isPanelActive) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const interval = setInterval(() => setNow(new Date()), 10_000);
+    return () => clearInterval(interval);
+  }, [collapsed, isPanelActive]);
+
   const headerChevronStyle = useMemo(
     () => [styles.headerChevron, !collapsed && styles.headerChevronExpanded],
     [collapsed],
@@ -125,7 +144,9 @@ export function CommitsSection({ serverId, cwd, onCommitPress }: CommitsSectionP
           <Text style={styles.legendText}>{t("workspace.git.diff.commits.legendRemote")}</Text>
         </View>
       </Pressable>
-      {collapsed ? null : <CommitsSectionContent query={query} onCommitPress={onCommitPress} />}
+      {collapsed ? null : (
+        <CommitsSectionContent query={query} now={displayNow} onCommitPress={onCommitPress} />
+      )}
     </View>
   );
 }
@@ -195,14 +216,15 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
     paddingVertical: theme.spacing[2],
   },
   skeleton: {
-    paddingHorizontal: theme.spacing[2],
+    paddingBottom: theme.spacing[1],
-    paddingBottom: theme.spacing[2],
     gap: theme.spacing[2],
   },
   skeletonRow: {
     flexDirection: "row",
     alignItems: "center",
     gap: theme.spacing[2],
+    paddingHorizontal: theme.spacing[2],
+    paddingVertical: theme.spacing[1],
     minHeight: 20,
   },
   skeletonDot: {
@@ -218,9 +240,22 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
     backgroundColor: theme.colors.surface2,
   },
   skeletonSubject: {
-    width: "55%",
+    flex: 1,
+    minWidth: 0,
     height: 12,
     borderRadius: theme.borderRadius.sm,
     backgroundColor: theme.colors.surface2,
   },
+  skeletonTimestamp: {
+    width: 40,
+    height: 10,
+    borderRadius: theme.borderRadius.sm,
+    backgroundColor: theme.colors.surface2,
+    flexShrink: 0,
+  },
+  skeletonCaret: {
+    width: 16,
+    height: 16,
+    flexShrink: 0,
+  },
 }));

packages/app/src/panels/commit-diff-panel.tsx

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useMemo, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import { Text, View } from "react-native";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { GitCommitHorizontal } from "lucide-react-native";
 import { StyleSheet, withUnistyles } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import invariant from "tiny-invariant";
-import { useIsCompactFormFactor } from "@/constants/layout";
+import { SegmentedControl } from "@/components/ui/segmented-control";
+import { useIsCompactFormFactor, WORKSPACE_SECONDARY_HEADER_HEIGHT } from "@/constants/layout";
 import { isWeb } from "@/constants/platform";
 import { useChangesPreferences } from "@/hooks/use-changes-preferences";
 import { useAppSettings } from "@/hooks/use-settings";
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ function CommitDiffPanel() {
   const { serverId, workspaceId, target } = usePaneContext();
   const cwd = useWorkspaceDirectory(serverId, workspaceId);
   const { settings } = useAppSettings();
-  const { preferences } = useChangesPreferences();
+  const { preferences, updatePreferences } = useChangesPreferences();
   const isCompact = useIsCompactFormFactor();
   invariant(target.kind === "commit_diff", "CommitDiffPanel requires commit_diff target");
 
@@ -32,7 +33,29 @@ function CommitDiffPanel() {
     sha: target.sha,
     enabled: Boolean(cwd),
   });
-  const effectiveLayout = isWeb && !isCompact ? preferences.layout : "unified";
+  const canUseSplitLayout = isWeb && !isCompact;
+  const effectiveLayout = canUseSplitLayout ? preferences.layout : "unified";
+  const layoutOptions = useMemo(
+    () => [
+      {
+        value: "unified" as const,
+        label: t("workspace.git.diff.unified"),
+        testID: "commit-diff-layout-unified",
+      },
+      {
+        value: "split" as const,
+        label: t("workspace.git.diff.split"),
+        testID: "commit-diff-layout-split",
+      },
+    ],
+    [t],
+  );
+  const handleLayoutChange = useCallback(
+    (layout: "unified" | "split") => {
+      void updatePreferences({ layout });
+    },
+    [updatePreferences],
+  );
   const displayPreferences = useMemo(
     () => ({
       layout: effectiveLayout,
@@ -59,29 +82,47 @@ function CommitDiffPanel() {
       </View>
     );
   }
+  let bodyContent: ReactNode;
   if (error) {
-    return (
+    bodyContent = (
       <View style={styles.centerState} testID="commit-diff-error">
         <Text style={styles.errorText}>{t("panels.diff.loadError")}</Text>
       </View>
     );
-  }
+  } else if (isLoading && files.length === 0) {
-  if (isLoading && files.length === 0) {
+    bodyContent = (
-    return (
       <View style={styles.centerState} testID="commit-diff-loading">
         <Text style={styles.mutedText}>{t("workspace.tabs.loading")}</Text>
       </View>
     );
-  }
+  } else if (files.length === 0) {
-  if (files.length === 0) {
+    bodyContent = (
-    return (
       <View style={styles.centerState} testID="commit-diff-empty">
         <Text style={styles.mutedText}>{t("panels.diff.empty")}</Text>
       </View>
     );
+  } else {
+    bodyContent = (
+      <SharedDiffView files={files} displayPreferences={displayPreferences} mode={commitMode} />
+    );
   }
 
-  return <SharedDiffView files={files} displayPreferences={displayPreferences} mode={commitMode} />;
+  return (
+    <View style={styles.container} testID="commit-diff-panel">
+      {canUseSplitLayout ? (
+        <View style={styles.toolbar} testID="commit-diff-toolbar">
+          <SegmentedControl
+            options={layoutOptions}
+            value={preferences.layout}
+            onValueChange={handleLayoutChange}
+            size="sm"
+            testID="commit-diff-layout-control"
+          />
+        </View>
+      ) : null}
+      <View style={styles.body}>{bodyContent}</View>
+    </View>
+  );
 }
 
 function useCommitDiffPanelDescriptor(
@@ -104,6 +145,24 @@ export const commitDiffPanelRegistration: PanelRegistration<"commit_diff"> = {
 };
 
 const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
+  container: {
+    flex: 1,
+    minHeight: 0,
+  },
+  toolbar: {
+    height: WORKSPACE_SECONDARY_HEADER_HEIGHT,
+    flexDirection: "row",
+    alignItems: "center",
+    justifyContent: "flex-end",
+    paddingHorizontal: theme.spacing[3],
+    borderBottomWidth: theme.borderWidth[1],
+    borderBottomColor: theme.colors.border,
+    flexShrink: 0,
+  },
+  body: {
+    flex: 1,
+    minHeight: 0,
+  },
   centerState: {
     flex: 1,
     alignItems: "center",

packages/app/src/utils/time.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
-import { formatDuration, formatMessageTimestamp } from "./time";
+import { formatDuration, formatMessageTimestamp, formatTimeAgo } from "./time";
+
+describe("formatTimeAgo", () => {
+  const now = new Date("2026-07-16T12:00:00.000Z");
+
+  it.each([
+    ["2026-07-16T11:59:55.000Z", "just now"],
+    ["2026-07-16T11:59:30.000Z", "30s ago"],
+    ["2026-07-16T11:55:00.000Z", "5m ago"],
+    ["2026-07-16T10:00:00.000Z", "2h ago"],
+    ["2026-07-13T12:00:00.000Z", "3d ago"],
+    ["2026-01-15T12:00:00.000Z", "Jan 15"],
+  ])("formats %s as %s", (date, expected) => {
+    expect(formatTimeAgo(new Date(date), now)).toBe(expected);
+  });
+});
 
 describe("formatDuration", () => {
   it("renders sub-minute durations as whole seconds", () => {

packages/app/src/utils/time.ts

@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
  * Format a date as a human-friendly relative time string
  * Examples: "just now", "5m ago", "2h ago", "3d ago", "Jan 15"
  */
-export function formatTimeAgo(date: Date): string {
+export function formatTimeAgo(date: Date, now: Date = new Date()): string {
-  const now = new Date();
   const diffMs = now.getTime() - date.getTime();
   const diffSec = Math.floor(diffMs / 1000);
   const diffMin = Math.floor(diffSec / 60);