Stop aliasing core Git commands

Jason McCreary Mar 20, 2017

#git

A core feature of Git is the ability to create aliases. This effectively allows you to customize Git's command set. As a developer, of course, you're going to want to do this.

However, lately I've come across numerous claims stating aliasing core commands is the Right Way to use Git. Unfortunately, even Pro Git aliases core Git commands in their examples.

Regardless, this is not the Right Way.

Why? Two reasons: obfuscation and speed.

Obfuscation

While aliases give us freedom, there's no convention for aliasing core commands. So they're all subjective.

While these commands exhibit our personal flare, they've lost their meaning. Sure git up sounds cool and might impress your coworkers. But they have no idea what it does and it isn't available on their setup.

Speed

The primary motivation for aliasing core commands is speed. Oh, the need for speed. Anything to save a few keystrokes. But how many keystrokes are you really saving by aliasing core Git comamnds?

Let's compare some common aliases against command completion.

With the exception of git status, command completion tied or beat aliases. In addition, command completion also completes references and options. So command completion saves keystrokes across all commands, not just aliases.

In the end, aliases are a useful feature. But stop aliasing core Git commands. Instead, use command completion as a clearer and often faster alternative.

Reserve aliases for Git commands you run frequently and require options. For example, here are my current aliases. Two alias long git log commands and the others compliment Git's command set with additional custom commands.

Update
There seem to be confusion about scope. My suggestion is not to create Git aliases for core Git commands. This includes things like git st, git co, git ci as shorthands for git status, git checkout, git commit respectively. It does not include Git aliases in general or system aliases.

Want to master Git? Getting Git contains over 60 videos covering Git commands as well as scenarios you'll encounter using Git every day.

Jason McCreary

I build things with my hands.

Damien Bouvy

I'm quite sorry, but the point of having my own personal development machine is to set it up the way I like :)

Sure git up sounds cool and might impress your coworkers. But they have no idea what it does and it isn't available on their setup.

So what? I'll tell them if they ask nicely :) I don't see how setting up shortcuts, aliases or magical key combinations is anyone's business but mine...

Unless it's on a common server of course, in which case I tend to agree.

Ryan Winchester

Okay, run your tests against my most used ones:

gst == git status
gca == git commit --all
gcam "message" == git commit -am "message"
gp == git push

:D I know what they stand for, don't care if others do, and don't care if they aren't available on a computer that's not mine.

Phil Nash

gst? That's far too many characters!

I have a bash function g that aliases git unless you pass no arguments, then it aliases git status.

Single characters FTW! :D

Evan Sendra

Dude, had the same idea! dev.to/sendra/git-faster-with-mingit :D

haha! that's great xD

Moritz Grosch (LittleFox)

Kinda cool ^{^}

I have "g." for "git status ." but may switch to "g" :D

Charles Francoise

You're catching a lot of "I do what I want" in the comments, but I fully support this idea. I expect everyone to be proficient with bare bones git, be able to share scripts, shell history and the likes.

As for those who don't want to type more characters, this two-liner will set you up for tab autocompletion with git... if you're on a Mac with brew installed. But there's probably a similar trick for Linux (or it might even be installed by default).

brew install bash-completion@2
ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/share/git-core/git-completion.bash /usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/git

You can even use tab completion for branch names now. 🙌

Ha. That's a good way to put it. Thanks for reading the full article.

Pavel Ševčík

I use 'wow' - 3 keystrokes. Checkmate! i.imgur.com/UQAKbmN.jpg

Geoff Davis

I've messed around with Bash, and created a specific "Git shortcuts" bash file that essentially omits the "git" command.

This won't work in all setups, but it allows me to shorten commands while retaining readability, and tab-completion works still because it's used as a CLI:

status => git status
log => git log
branch -c someBranch => git branch someBranch && git checkout someBranch
clone -p someGitURI => git clone $(pbpaste)
pushup remoteName workingBranch => git push -u remoteName workingBranch

etc. Wondering what everyone's take on this method is.

Alex Slynko

You can use git checkout -b to create new branch and checkout to it.

If aliasing core commands is wrong and git log --oneline is only 3 keystrokes more than git logo why do you have an alias for it?

git log --oneline is not an alias for a core command. My issue is with an alias for git log itself, for example git l. I believe such aliases obfuscate the commands and often don't save keystrokes.

Your comparison of git log --oneline lies in a section where you are comparing keystrokes against core commands.

And frankly, as others have said, who are you obfuscating those commands to? Only yourself. Aliases don't overwrite core commands, so you are not making it harder for anyone else to use your command line, only making it easier and more comfortable for yourself.

This so called Right Way in this blog post is simply your opinion. And you would probably do better to not force it upon others.

Gerard Ribugent Navarro

I think aliases are a personal choice, someone prefers to use it, and someone prefers to use tab completion.

When I switched from subversion to git, at the beginning I missed the short commands, but finally I started using tab completion.

As author said, aliases are indisposable to run commands with a specific options.

For my daily work, I don't use aliases, but I use "custom" commands for my daily workflow:

git branch-create $JIRA_ISSUE creates new branch from the right branch with the right name according our rules
git branch-sync <--rebase> Merges or rebases branch from the base branch(it's deducted by the branch name)
git pr simple ncurses interface to open a pull requests, you don't need to specify the base branch again
git branch-clean <--remote> Cleans local/remote branches which has been merged into master

We have more, but I think these ones may be interesting :D

globalkeith

I've aliased git add . && git commit -m wip to save_game which makes me smile whenever I use it. You'll need to understand rebase to clean up after tho.

Mere Development

Hey Jason, thanks for writing the article and doing the tests with characters used etc. I'll bear it in mind, especially when it comes to working in shared environments and helping others to become familiar with git. I'd always assumed that adding some short aliases did save time, and muscle memory will probably mean I do keep using them, but thanks nonetheless.

I've not written anything for dev.to yet, so not sure what sort of article editing controls there are, but if it's possible... how about changing the title to a 'suggestion' rather than a command, and completely avoid using any reference to the right way? I think you've accidentally undermined yourself by appearing to be dogmatic, which is a shame.

Aliases are a point of customization and as such personal. I think this has caused some readers to react to keywords like right way and miss the focus of this post. While the title was indeed for effect, the post, when read closely, presents the argument for being clear while also providing an alternative.

Carles Mateu

I'm amazed no one has yet confessed to major sin:

backup = git add * && git commit -a -m "Done for today, cya tomorrow" && git push

:-D

Diego Lago

“Stop doing whatever you want” could be a good title for this post.

Git aliases are for PERSONAL use. Why shouldn't I do if I feel more confortable with those?

Rich Burroughs

Yeah I agree with a lot of the responses I'm seeing. Why should it matter to my coworkers what I do on my laptop? If we're pairing and there's something they don't understand, I can always explain it. And they probably are going to be able to guess what "git co" and "git st" mean, especially if they see the output. As long as I'm not putting the short versions in documentation, I don't see a problem. You could probably extrapolate this to a lot of shell aliases too and I'd have the same opinion.

Also I've been typing "git st" and "got co" for years now. It would not make me more efficient to remove those and have to tab complete them. I've been in shells without my aliases and believe me, it does not save me keystrokes.

Philippe Traverse

You can autocomplete branches etc with single letter git ...
stackoverflow.com/questions/342969...

Louise

Sorry, but I don't use aliases to impress anybody. I just like having shortcuts. And it definitely minimizes the chances of errors. A two character command is easier to get right than say a 12 character command.

d3rrila

git config --global alias.gud checkout --recursive dev.to/gonedark/stop-aliasing-core...

(Disclaimer: I'm aware that this isn't a legal git command)

Guido Gloor Modjib

You'll like this one:

cheat = !git log -1 && git add -A && git commit --amend -C HEAD && git push -f && git log -1

David Mackintosh

Ha -- I've been saying this since 2013.

René

So we shouldn't alias git commands because someone else might need to use my computer and not immediately know what my aliases are bound to?

Maybe you don't mean it that way, but all this comes off as needlessly puritanical.

Pedro Manoel Fabiano Alves Evangelista

I really like my git aliases and I already built a muscular memory for them. However, I do agree with the article, specially when I'm pairing on another person's computer. I'm so used to my personal setup that I become ineffective in different settings. I'll try to relearn using vanilla git :)

streetlamp

sorry but i'll setup my personal aliases however i like? i dont care what aliases my coworkers use for the same tasks and im sure they dont care what i use. its our own systems setup how the way we like and are comfortable with. im totally baffled by this article to be honest.

Cary Miller

My only issue with your post is that in the end, you didn't really show a compelling reason not to use aliases. Is there something you left out, maybe?

David

Why should I care if others can't use my git configuration un my machine. aliases should make working more comfortable for me not for others. If i want to explain how they work i can introduce them to my set of alias or use the default ones.