Git Commands Cheat Sheet

Git Cheat Sheet

Configuration Steps

Required (For Fresh Install)

First, check if you have already configured Git by running:

git config --global --list

If the user.name and user.email configurations are empty, run the following commands to set them up:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Most Common Commands

git init // Initialize a new Git repository
git clone [url] // Clone a repository from a URL
git status // Check the status of your repository
git add [file] // Add a file to the staging area
git commit -m "message" // Commit changes with a message
git push // Push changes to a remote repository
git pull // Pull updates from a remote repository
git branch // List branches
git checkout [branch] // Switch to a branch
git merge [branch] // Merge a branch into the current branch

Additional Commands

git log // Show commit logs
git reset [file] // Unstage a file
git reset --hard [commit] // Reset to a specific commit
git stash // Stash changes
git stash apply // Apply stashed changes
git remote -v // Show remote URLs
git tag [name] // Create a tag
git fetch // Fetch updates from a remote repository
git diff // Show changes between commits, branches, etc.
git rm [file] // Remove a file
git mv [old] [new] // Rename or move a file
git rebase [branch] // Reapply commits on top of another base tip
git cherry-pick [commit] // Apply the changes introduced by some existing commits
git bisect // Use binary search to find the commit that introduced a bug

Examples & Tutorial

This section provides a small tutorial demonstrating an end-to-end flow using the most common Git commands.

Step-by-Step Example

1. Initialize a new Git repository:

git init

This command creates a new Git repository in your current directory. A Git repository is a virtual storage of your project where you can keep track of changes.

2. Clone an existing repository:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

This command copies an existing repository from the URL to your local machine. "Clone" means creating a copy of the repository so you can work on it locally.

3. Check the status of your repository:

git status

This command shows the state of your working directory and staging area. It lets you see which changes have been staged, which haven't, and which files aren't being tracked by Git.

4. Add a file to the staging area:

git add file.txt

This command adds the specified file to the staging area. The staging area is like a waiting room where your changes sit before you commit them.

5. Commit changes with a message:

git commit -m "Added file.txt"

This command saves your changes in the local repository. The message within quotes should describe the changes made, which helps in keeping track of your project's history.

6. Create a new branch and switch to it:

git branch new-feature

git checkout new-feature

The first command creates a new branch called "new-feature." A branch is a separate line of development. The second command switches to this new branch, allowing you to work on it independently of the main branch.

7. Push the new branch to the remote repository:

git push origin new-feature

This command uploads your new branch to the remote repository (e.g., GitHub). "Push" means sending your changes to the remote server so others can access them.

8. Create a Pull Request (PR) or Merge Request (MR):

Go to your remote repository (e.g., GitHub) and create a Pull Request (PR) or Merge Request (MR) from the new-feature branch to the main branch. This allows others to review your changes before merging.

9. Merge the new branch into the main branch after approval:

git checkout main

git pull origin main

Switch to the main branch and pull the latest changes. This ensures your local main branch is up to date.

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