Junio C Hamano wrote, on 16.6.2016 20:25:
> "as long as >(N) can be used as Duy claims as a workaround to 
> get the original behaviour, it is good to allow using >|(N)
> for this new output format; I didn't check if >(N) does behave
> that way, though"

Yes, it can be used in such way.

Example:

$ git log --format='%<(10)%t%<(20)%h.' -n 1
004419a   9ca73ba             .

$ git log --format='%<(10)%t%<|(30)%h.' -n 1
004419a   9ca73ba             .

Notice that dot is at exactly same column, because
10 + 20 == 30.

The difference is when using --graph, because width of the graph is not
known in advance. After the patch the graph width is included in %<(N).
Original behavior is to not count with the graph width.