Master Git: 50 Commands Explained in Detail

Master Git: Commands Explained in Detail

Git has revolutionized the way teams collaborate, track changes, and manage codebases. Whether you’re a software developer, a DevOps engineer, or just starting your coding journey, Git is a must-have skill in your toolbox.

In this blog, I’m sharing a comprehensive Git cheat sheet with 50 essential commands—complete with clear explanations and examples. This guide will help you streamline your workflows and avoid common pitfalls.

Why Learn Git?

Git is more than just a version control system. It enables:

Seamless collaboration across teams.
Efficient tracking of changes in code.
Robust recovery from mistakes or bugs.
Integration with CI/CD pipelines and other DevOps tools.

Whether you're working on a solo project or contributing to a massive open-source repository, Git makes everything easier.

Git Cheat Sheet: The Top 50 Commands You Need to Know

Git Cheat Sheet: The 50 Most Important Commands

1. Git Basics

git config
Configures your Git settings like username and email address. This information is included in every commit.
```
 git config --global user.name "Your Name"  
 git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
```
- --global: Applies the configuration to all repositories.
- Without --global: Applies only to the current repository.
git init
Initializes a new Git repository in the current directory.
```
 git init
```
- Creates a .git folder to track changes.

git clone
Downloads a remote repository to your local machine.

 git clone <repository_url>

Example:

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

git help
Displays help for any Git command.
```
 git help <command>
```
- Example:
```
  git help commit
```
git version
Shows the installed Git version.
```
 git version
```

2. Working with Files

git add
Adds changes to the staging area.
```
 git add file.txt  
 git add .  # Adds all changes
```
- Tracks new files or updates existing ones.
git commit
Saves changes from the staging area to the repository.
```
 git commit -m "Your commit message"
```
- The message should describe the changes made.
git status
Displays the current state of the repository (staged, modified, or untracked files).
```
 git status
```
git diff
Shows the differences between changes.
```
 git diff  
 git diff file.txt
```
- Use before staging or committing to review changes.

git log
Displays the commit history.

git log  
git log --oneline  # Short format

git show
Shows details about a specific commit.
```
git show <commit-hash>
```
git mv
Moves or renames a file.
```
git mv oldname.txt newname.txt
```

3. Branching and Merging

git branch
Manages branches.

git branch  # List branches  
git branch new-branch  # Create a branch  
git branch -d old-branch  # Delete a branch

git checkout
Switches to a different branch or commit.

git checkout new-branch  
git checkout <commit-hash>  # View a specific commit

git switch
A simpler way to switch branches.

git switch main  
git switch -c new-branch  # Create and switch

git merge
Merges another branch into the current one.
```
git merge feature-branch
```
git rebase
Reapplies commits from one branch onto another.
```
git rebase main
```
git branch -m
Renames the current branch.
```
git branch -m new-name
```

4. Remote Repositories

git remote
Connects a local repository to a remote one.

git remote add origin <repository_url>  
git remote -v  # List remotes

git fetch
Retrieves changes from a remote repository without merging.
```
git fetch origin
```
git pull
Fetches and merges changes from a remote repository.
```
git pull origin main
```
git push
Uploads local commits to a remote repository.
```
git push origin main
```
git push -u
Sets the upstream branch for future pushes.
```
git push -u origin new-branch
```

5. Undoing Changes

git reset
Unstages changes or reverts commits.

git reset file.txt  
git reset --hard HEAD~1  # Remove last commit

git revert
Creates a new commit to undo changes.
```
git revert <commit-hash>
```
git clean
Removes untracked files.
```
git clean -f
```

git stash
Temporarily saves changes.

git stash  
git stash apply  # Restore changes

6. Debugging and Monitoring

git blame
Shows who modified each line of a file.
```
git blame file.txt
```
git bisect
Finds the commit that introduced a bug.
```
git bisect start
```
git log --graph
Visualizes the commit history as a graph.
```
git log --graph --oneline
```

7. Tagging

git tag
Creates a tag to mark a specific commit.

git tag v1.0  
git push origin --tags  # Push tags

8. Advanced Techniques

git cherry-pick
Applies a specific commit to the current branch.
```
git cherry-pick <commit-hash>
```
git archive
Creates a compressed archive of your repository.
```
git archive --format=tar main > repo.tar
```

9. Maintenance

git gc
Cleans up unnecessary files.
```
git gc
```
git fsck
Verifies repository integrity.
```
git fsck
```

10. Miscellaneous

git describe
Shows the most recent tag associated with the current commit.
```
git describe
```
git reflog
Logs all actions in the repository.
```
git reflog
```
11. Advanced Remote and Collaboration Commands
git remote remove
Removes a connection to a remote repository.

git remote remove origin

Useful when you no longer need to track a remote repository.

git remote rename
Renames a remote repository.

git remote rename oldname newname

Example: Rename origin to upstream.

git pull --rebase
Fetches changes and rebases your local commits on top of the fetched branch.

git pull --rebase origin main

Keeps a cleaner commit history by avoiding unnecessary merge commits.

12. Working with Submodules

git submodule add
Adds another repository as a submodule.

git submodule add <repository_url>

Example: Add a library repository to your project.

git submodule update
Updates submodules to the latest commit.

git submodule update --remote

Use this to sync submodules with the latest version.

13. Advanced Stashing Commands

git stash list
Lists all stashed changes.

git stash list

Each stash is labeled with an index for reference.

git stash drop
Deletes a specific stash.

git stash drop stash@{0}

Replace stash@{0} with the index of the stash you want to remove.

git stash pop
Applies and removes the most recent stash.

git stash pop

Combines git stash apply and git stash drop.

14. Ignoring Files

.gitignore
Specifies files or directories to ignore in the repository.

echo "node_modules/" >> .gitignore  
git add .gitignore  
git commit -m "Add .gitignore"

Commonly used to ignore temporary files or dependencies.

15. Dealing with Conflicts

git mergetool
Launches a merge tool to resolve conflicts.

git mergetool

Use a GUI tool like vimdiff, kdiff3, or meld to simplify conflict resolution.

git diff --cached
Displays differences between the staged changes and the latest commit.

git diff --cached

Useful for reviewing staged changes before committing.

16. Resetting and Rewriting History

git reset --soft
Moves the HEAD pointer but leaves changes staged.

git reset --soft HEAD~1

Use when you want to revise the last commit message or add more changes.

git reset --mixed
Moves the HEAD pointer and unstages changes but keeps them in the working directory.

git reset --mixed HEAD~1

Allows you to modify and re-stage files.

Conclusion

These 50 Git commands will take your version control skills to the next level. Whether you’re just starting or looking to optimize your workflows, this cheat sheet is your ultimate guide.

Save this page for quick reference, and don’t forget to practice these commands in real projects to master them!

📢 What’s Your Favorite Git Command? Drop a comment below!

#Git #DevOps #VersionControl #Coding #CheatSheet

Conclusion

Git is a game-changer for managing code effectively. By mastering these 50 commands, you’ll be able to handle everything from simple commits to complex merges and recoveries with confidence.

If you’re new to Git, start with the basics like git init, git add, and git commit. As you grow more comfortable, dive into advanced features like branching, stashing, and rebasing.

What’s Next?

1️⃣ Start practicing these commands in your projects.
2️⃣ Share this cheat sheet with your team or peers who are learning Git.
3️⃣ Drop a comment below with your favorite Git tip or trick!

📢 Pro Tip: Bookmark this page for quick reference when you’re working with Git.

If you found this cheat sheet helpful, consider sharing it on social media or with your network. Let’s spread the knowledge! 🌟

Happy Learning…

Master Git with These 50 Essential Commands: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Developers and DevOps Professionals

Table of contents

Master Git: Commands Explained in Detail

Why Learn Git?

Git Cheat Sheet: The Top 50 Commands You Need to Know

Git Cheat Sheet: The 50 Most Important Commands

1. Git Basics

2. Working with Files

3. Branching and Merging

4. Remote Repositories

5. Undoing Changes

6. Debugging and Monitoring

7. Tagging

8. Advanced Techniques

9. Maintenance

10. Miscellaneous

12. Working with Submodules

13. Advanced Stashing Commands

14. Ignoring Files

15. Dealing with Conflicts

16. Resetting and Rewriting History

Conclusion

Conclusion

What’s Next?

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Saurabh Namdeo

Saurabh Namdeo