Git Commands Cheatsheet

A quick reference of essential Git commands for everyday development. From initial setup to advanced workflows, find the command you need with clear explanations.

Setup & Configuration

Command	Description
git init	Initialize a new Git repository in the current directory.
git clone <url>	Clone a remote repository to your local machine.
git config --global user.name "Name"	Set the name attached to your commits globally.
git config --global user.email "email"	Set the email attached to your commits globally.
git config --list	List all Git configuration settings.

Basic Workflow

Command	Description
git status	Show the working tree status: modified, staged, and untracked files.
git add <file>	Stage a specific file for the next commit.
git add .	Stage all changes in the current directory and subdirectories.
git add -p	Interactively stage hunks of changes, letting you review each one.
git commit -m "message"	Create a new commit with staged changes and the given message.
git commit --amend	Modify the most recent commit (message and/or staged changes).
git diff	Show unstaged changes between working directory and the index.
git diff --staged	Show changes staged for the next commit.
git diff HEAD	Show all changes (staged and unstaged) since the last commit.

Branching

Command	Description
git branch	List all local branches. The current branch is marked with an asterisk.
git branch <name>	Create a new branch at the current commit.
git branch -d <name>	Delete a branch that has been fully merged.
git branch -D <name>	Force delete a branch, even if it has not been merged.
git branch -a	List all branches, including remote-tracking branches.
git checkout <branch>	Switch to an existing branch.
git checkout -b <branch>	Create a new branch and switch to it immediately.
git switch <branch>	Switch to an existing branch (modern alternative to checkout).
git switch -c <branch>	Create and switch to a new branch (modern alternative).

Merging & Rebasing

Command	Description
git merge <branch>	Merge the specified branch into the current branch.
git merge --no-ff <branch>	Merge with a merge commit even if fast-forward is possible.
git merge --abort	Abort a merge that has conflicts and restore the previous state.
git rebase <branch>	Reapply commits from the current branch on top of the specified branch.
git rebase --abort	Abort an in-progress rebase and restore the original branch.
git rebase --continue	Continue a rebase after resolving conflicts.
git cherry-pick <commit>	Apply the changes from a specific commit onto the current branch.

Remote Repositories

Command	Description
git remote -v	List all configured remote repositories with their URLs.
git remote add <name> <url>	Add a new remote repository.
git fetch	Download objects and refs from a remote without merging.
git fetch --all	Fetch from all configured remotes.
git pull	Fetch from remote and merge into the current branch.
git pull --rebase	Fetch from remote and rebase the current branch on top.
git push	Push committed changes to the remote repository.
git push -u origin <branch>	Push a branch and set up tracking for future pushes/pulls.
git push --force-with-lease	Force push, but only if the remote has not been updated by others.
git push origin --delete <branch>	Delete a remote branch.

Stashing

Command	Description
git stash	Temporarily save uncommitted changes and revert to a clean working directory.
git stash push -m "message"	Stash changes with a descriptive message.
git stash list	List all stashed changesets.
git stash pop	Apply the most recent stash and remove it from the stash list.
git stash apply	Apply the most recent stash but keep it in the stash list.
git stash drop	Remove the most recent stash entry.
git stash clear	Remove all stashed entries.

History & Inspection

Command	Description
git log	Show the commit history for the current branch.
git log --oneline	Show commit history in a condensed one-line format.
git log --graph --oneline	Show commit history as a text-based graph.
git log -p <file>	Show commit history with diffs for a specific file.
git log --author="name"	Filter commit history by author.
git show <commit>	Show details and diff of a specific commit.
git blame <file>	Show who last modified each line of a file and when.
git reflog	Show a log of all reference updates (useful for recovering lost commits).

Undoing Changes

Command	Description
git restore <file>	Discard changes in the working directory for a file.
git restore --staged <file>	Unstage a file while keeping changes in the working directory.
git reset HEAD~1	Undo the last commit, keeping changes staged.
git reset --soft HEAD~1	Undo the last commit, keeping changes staged.
git reset --hard HEAD~1	Undo the last commit and discard all changes. Destructive.
git revert <commit>	Create a new commit that undoes the changes from a specific commit.
git clean -fd	Remove untracked files and directories. Destructive.

Tags

Command	Description
git tag	List all tags.
git tag <name>	Create a lightweight tag at the current commit.
git tag -a <name> -m "msg"	Create an annotated tag with a message.
git push origin <tag>	Push a specific tag to the remote.
git push origin --tags	Push all local tags to the remote.
git tag -d <name>	Delete a local tag.

Common Workflows

Feature Branch Workflow

git checkout -b feature/name
Make changes and commit
git push -u origin feature/name
Open a pull request
git checkout main && git pull

Fix a Mistake

git log --oneline to find the commit
git revert <commit> to undo safely
Or git reset --soft HEAD~1 to uncommit
Fix the issue and commit again

Sync with Upstream

git remote add upstream <url>
git fetch upstream
git rebase upstream/main
git push --force-with-lease

Resolve Merge Conflicts

git merge feature-branch
Edit conflicted files (look for <<<<< markers)
git add <resolved-files>
git commit

Related Resources

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