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[Design idea] File blob page: Make it easier for users to access different versions of a file through different commits

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Context

Design feedback from @nickleonard Slack.

Problem

Sometimes, it is helpful for users to see how the contents of a file have changed over time, in different commits.

On the GitLab interface today, users have a few ways to view the contents of a file in different commits, but they are roundabout and not ideal:

  1. View Blame for the file. This shows bits and pieces of how a file has changed in different commits, but does not allow users to easily see all the changes of 1 commit in 1 view. Users can "View blame prior to this change," but the timeline of commits is not very understandable or linear. Users can also click on a commit in the Blame view, then "View file," but this is requires many clicks and users may lose context.

    view blame.png

  2. In the file blob page, change branches to show the state of the file in a certain commit. The branch selector doesn't communicate well that users can search for a commit, so this may not be clear for users. Users also have to pull the commit ID from a different page, which is more of a process.

    gitlab-searchcommit.png

Design solution

Design a way for users to browse through the commit history of a file, and see the file contents in relation to different commits. This is a common pattern used in many development tools.

< Design TBD, awaiting prioritization >

Edited by 🤖 GitLab Bot 🤖