15 Common Git Commands Every Developer Should Know

Git is an essential tool for modern software development. Whether you're working on solo projects or in a large team, mastering Git gives you power, safety, and collaboration superpowers.

In this post, let's go through 15 essential Git commands that every developer should know — especially if you're just getting started.

👉 Original blog post here: 15 Git Commands on The Learn with Rana

1. git init

Initializes a new Git repository in your current project folder.

git init

---

2. git clone <url>

Clones a remote repository to your local machine.

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

---

3. git status

Displays the status of files — staged, unstaged, or untracked.

git status

---

4. git add <file>

Stages a file for the next commit.

git add index.js
git add .   # Add all changes

---

5. git commit -m "message"

Commits staged changes with a description.

git commit -m "Fix login bug"

---

6. git pull

Fetches and merges changes from a remote repository.

git pull origin main

---

7. git push

Pushes local commits to the remote repository.

git push origin main

---

8. git branch

Lists all branches or creates a new one.

git branch          # List branches
git branch feature1 # Create a branch

---

9. git checkout <branch>

Switches to a specific branch and updates your working directory.

git checkout main
git checkout -b feature-xyz

---

10. git merge <branch>

Merges changes from one branch into the current one.

git merge feature-xyz

---

11. git log

Shows commit history.

git log

---

12. git diff

Displays differences between commits or working states.

git diff
git diff HEAD~1 HEAD

---

13. git stash

Temporarily saves uncommitted changes.

git stash
git stash pop

---

14. git reset

Unstages files or reverts commit history.

git reset file.js        # Unstage
git reset --soft HEAD~1  # Keep changes
git reset --hard HEAD~1  # Discard everything

---

15. git remote -v

Lists all configured remote repositories.

git remote -v

---

🎯 Final Thoughts

These 15 Git commands form the backbone of version control for most projects. Mastering them gives you confidence and speed when building and collaborating.

💡 Want a deeper dive? Check the full blog here:
🔗 Original Blog Post – The Learn with Rana

📩 Have a favorite Git trick? Drop it in the comments!

🔔 Follow me here on Hashnode and connect on LinkedIn for more practical dev content.

Happy committing! 🚀