contribution graph?

[itzneeraj06]

Select Topic Area

Question

Body

Can I show activity on previous dates in the contribution graph?

[itzneeraj06]

yes

[HenriqueGBA]

You can view and filter contributions by specific dates or time spans by clicking on days in the contribution calendar, but you cannot add or edit past activity directly.

[redradman]

📊 GitHub Contribution Graph Guide

Can You Backdate Contributions?

• Yes, but with limits - GitHub shows contributions based on commit timestamps
• Git allows backdating - You can set custom commit dates when creating commits
• Not retroactive - You can't modify existing contributions after they're pushed

How to Backdate Commits

# Set custom date for new commit
git commit --date="2024-06-15T10:30:00" -m "Your commit message"

# Or use environment variable
GIT_AUTHOR_DATE="2024-06-15T10:30:00" GIT_COMMITTER_DATE="2024-06-15T10:30:00" git commit -m "Message"

Important Rules

• Must be author/committer - Only your own commits count
• Email must match - Commit email must be linked to your GitHub account
• Public repositories - Private repo contributions need to be enabled in settings
• Default branch only - Contributions only count on the default branch (usually main)

Limitations

• GitHub's discretion - They may not display suspicious activity patterns
• No editing existing - Can't change dates of already-pushed commits easily
• Rebase/amend only - Would require force-pushing, potentially breaking things

Legitimate Use Cases

• Migrating old projects - Importing work with original timestamps
• Fixing timezone issues - Correcting commit times
• Batch commits - Adding multiple commits with proper chronological order

Note: Don't artificially inflate your contribution graph - focus on consistent, genuine contributions! 🌟