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Krishna Agarwal
Krishna Agarwal

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20 Git Commands Every Developer Should Know

20 Git Command I Use All The Time — Git CheatSheet

In this article, I just want to lay down a quick cheat sheet. It will include commands that I shared in that first article, but it will also include some new git commands. Recently, for various senior projects, I have been collaborating with different teams. There are a few commands that have become a staple for me.

So let's get started:

1. git init
This command is used to initialize a project as a git repository.

2. git remote add origin
Example:

git remote add origin https://github.com/MrKrishnaAgarwal/Git-CheatSheet.git
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This command is used to add or connect to a remote repository.

3. git remote
This command is used to view connected remote repositories.

4. git status
This command is used to view the status of files in your local repository. Are files tracked? untracked? modified?

5. git add
Example:

git add index.html
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git add index.html style.css style.scss
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This command is used to stage modified or untracked files.

git add -a
This command is used to stage ALL unstaged files.

6. git reset
This command is used to unstage files.

7. git commit
This command is used to commit staged files.

git commit -m “
Example:

git commit -m "added navigation bar"
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This command is used to commit staged files AND provide a commit message for the commit history.

git commit --amend

The git commit --amend command is a convenient way to modify the most recent commit.

8. git push -u origin
Example:

git push -u origin master
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This command is used to push committed files to the remote repository(aka GitHub) in the specified branch. Use this command for the very first time you push files to the remote repository. It will establish where you are pushing these files to. The next time(s) you push files, you can use git push

git push
This command is used to push committed files to the remote repository. You can only use this command to push files to the remote repository AFTER having pushed files using the previous command.

9. git fetch
This command is used to fetch the most updated version of your local repository. It checks for new files, new branches, deletions etc.

10. git pull
This command is used to take that information you just fetched and pull it into your local repository. This updates your local repository to the most updated version of your remote repository.

11. git rm -r — cached
Example:

git rm -r --cached config.js
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This command is used to remove a file from the remote repository(GitHub) without deleting it in your local repository.

  1. git branch This command is used to preview the branch you are currently on

git branch -a
This command is used to preview all the branches in your local and remote repository.

git branch -r
This command is used to preview all the branches in your local repository (aka branches you have already visited).

git branch
This command is used to create a new branch in your local repository.

13. git checkout — track origin/
Example:

git checkout --track origin/develop
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This command is used to switch branches. This is specifically for when you are visiting a branch (created in GitHub/remote repository) for the very first time.

14. git checkout
Example:

git checkout master
git checkout develop
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This command is used to switch to branches you have already visited before.

15. git merge
This command is used to merge two branches together. To do this, enter the branch that you want to inherit the changes. And the branch name you would use along with this command is the branch that will provide the changes.

Example: master branch will inherit code from develop branch

git merge develop
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16. git merge — abort
This command is used to abort a merge.

If there are no conflict errors, merges will always be successful. Ergo, this abort can only be used in situations where a merge failed.

How will you know this can be used?

For starters, your terminal will say merge failed. It may also tell you to fix the merge conflicts.

Here is another sign:
Image description

Look at the very end of the first line. In parentheses, it says (master). This is because we are in the master branch. If you are in the develop branch, it would say (develop).

If your merge fails, it will say (master|merging) or something like that. Maybe it says merge or maybe it’s a forward slash or maybe you’re in another branch. Regardless, you get the idea.

This indicates your merge failed.

git merge --abort would just abort the merge entirely.

17. git merge -X theirs
Example:

git merge -X theirs develop
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This command is used to merge two branches together. And if there are merging conflicts, this command will just assume that you’d prefer the changes made in the mentioned branch (rather than the current one).

18. git reset — hard HEAD
This command will erase all the changes you’ve made in your local repository and update it to the latest version that was committed to GitHub.

19. git clean -f
This command is used to delete untracked files in your local repository

20. git clean -d
This command is used to delete untracked directories in your local repository. You can also combine it into git clean -fd to do both.

  • Suggested by people in comments

21. git bisect

The git bisect command is used to discover the commit that has introduced a bug in the code. It helps track down the commit where the code works and the commit where it does not, hence, tracking down the commit that introduced the bug into the code.

22. git reset HEAD^

This command moves the current branch backward by two commits, effectively removing the two snapshots we just created from the project history. it reverts an accidental commit and keep the changes.

23. git diff

Diff command is used in git to track the difference between the changes made on a file.

24. git rebase

Rebasing is especially useful if you worked on a branch, but then need to apply the changes of that branch on top of the latest main or release branch. With a git rebase you can "move" your branch on top of the latest release. It is also useful if the team (or you yourself) are following common conventions for commits, like squashing commits together or splitting out "big" commits into "smaller" ones. It's basically for "reorganizing" your commits.

git rebase -i HEAD~N

To rebase the last N commits interactively. From there you can decide what action to apply on each commit: pick, reword, squash etc.

25. git stash

Stashing is good when you are working on a branch, but then you need to switch to another branch, but you're not ready yet to make a full commit on your current branch because the current code is "messy". So you stash them, switch to the other branch, come back to your original branch, then unstash your changes.

26. git reflog

git reflog is important when you did something wrong and really messed up your commits.

27. git cherry-pick

Cherry picking in Git means to choose a commit from one branch and apply it onto another.
This is in contrast with other ways such as merge and rebase which normally apply many commits onto another branch.

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>
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Thank you for reading! If you have some commands that you use all the time, please share them!

If you found this helpful, make sure to show your support with a like, and if you want to help others in their projects, a share would be greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think about this! Happy Learning!

More commands can be found here:



Follow me on GitHub and DEV.

Top comments (76)

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joolsmcfly profile image
Julien Dephix

I sometimes use git rebase -i HEAD~N to rebase the last N commits interactively. From there you can decide what action to apply on each commit: pick, reword, squash etc.

Some open source projects enforce single commit pull requests so it comes handy then and makes it easy to squash commits.

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jessekphillips profile image
Jesse Phillips
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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks for sharing

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks
I'll add it

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mistval profile image
Randall

git fetch && git rebase origin/main && git push --force

This is basically what I do to "merge" from main into a dev branch. But I find the results are usually much better than using git merge. Easier conflict resolution process and clean commit history. But as always when rebasing and force-pushing, you have to consider the pain it may cause to others working in the same branch (but if it's just you - go for it!)

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fjones profile image
FJones

Don't use the --force flag, even in that situation. Use --force-with-lease for the rare case where you do end up with a remote change during the rebase.

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jessekphillips profile image
Jesse Phillips

That should be named --nudge

Or change to --force --force when you really mean it.

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Yes
Right
Thanks for sharing

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

You are absolutely right.
We should avoid using force.

But thanks for your suggestions 👍

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fish1 profile image
Jacob Enders

Good list!

Though I do think the 'git checkout' is a bit dated.

'git switch' is able to switch branches and it's easier to remember. It will also automatically pull remote branches if you switch to something on the remote.
git-scm.com/docs/git-switch

'git checkout' I only use to checkout a specific commit hash if I need to do that

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jessekphillips profile image
Jesse Phillips

'git checkout' I only use to checkout a specific commit hash if I need to do that

git switch --detach <hash>

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Yes
Thanks for sharing

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks I'll update that.

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codenameone profile image
Shai Almog

Most important one: git bisect!

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Added in the post
Thanks

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dominik90 profile image
Dominik Bartsch

git add . actually only adds all the files in the current folder (.) which means if you are in a subdirectory this can potentially not add a chance you made. What really adds ALL changes is git add -a

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Okay
Thanks a lot
I'll update that one

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banesto profile image
Ernests Kečko • Edited

There's a certain distinction between "should now" and "use regularly", at least for me as I switched to GUI tool for better representation of git tree.

On regular basis, I use only these commands:

  • git rebase -i - most used command to amend whole branch (remove commits, edit commit message and many more)
  • git reset HEAD^1 - to get code back last commit changes into working tree and continue working - as a development strategy doing backup and WIP commit
  • git branch --contains <hash> - to check in which branches given commit is included (really helps if there are lots of staging/demo branches apart from master branch)
  • git log -G<string> --all - use lots of time to search code in git history

Also, if you're making a list of commands one should know, this list certainly is missing a git diff command.

Cheers!

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Added in the post.
Sorry and Thanks

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banesto profile image
Ernests Kečko

Nothing to be sorry about! Cheers!

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks 💯

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a5dev profile image
a5dev

Just a suggestion: In some of your headers, the dash dash (--) is being converted to a single en dash ( — ), probably automatically by your word processor.

Example: git rm -r — cached should be git rm -r --cached

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Yes
I'll update that one
Thanks a lot

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jashgopani profile image
Jash Gopani

Very useful article. All the commands are indeed the important ones. One suggestion I have is that for many commands you've just put abstract/generic description which does not explain a reader as to what that commit is used for exactly.
For example: git reflog - you mentioned why it is important but adding an additional line explaining the details would have been better.

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks
I'll definitely look upon it

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selectivehouse profile image
Joe Jordan

I also find the command: git reset HEAD^ really useful too, lets you revert an accidental commit and keep the changes :)

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal • Edited

Added in the post
Thanks

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eltha9 profile image
eltha9

Interesting, I never used git branch -r (thank's for the tip ^^).

I don't think everyone should know all them, but indeed it's always useful to know that they exist (and that's not a problem if you don't know the syntax )

I realized that in my daily life, I'm using a lot a GUI for all the branch, status, commit, and merge stuff

And for some obscure reason I only use git stash on cli ...

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Welcome!
Glad you liked them :)

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paulknulst profile image
Paul Knulst • Edited

This is a nice list on the basic Git commands.

I have a nice and very important addition to that list.

I recently experienced with Git Aliases and have to say that they are really awesome and should be know by everyone!

I created an article that explain how I use them to delete all my local branches. If you are interested you can read about it here in my personal blog: knulst.de/how-to-remove-local-git-...

Also it is published on Medium: betterprogramming.pub/how-to-remov...

And here on Dev.to: dev.to/paulknulst/how-to-remove-lo...

If you did not know about Git Alias it's worth reading about! (wherever you want) :)

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks
I'll check it out.

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binoytv9 profile image
Binoy T V

git stash
git cherry-pick

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks
I'll update the post.

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Updated
Thanks for Contributing

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snowlyg profile image
snowlyg • Edited

I try git branch -r, Don't show all the local branches ,but show all the remote branches.

I check git docs , -r, --remotes is use for act on remote-tracking branches.

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks
I'll add it.

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leob profile image
leob • Edited

git commit --amend and git merge --no-ff --no-commit are other handy ones that I use pretty often :)

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Thanks 👍
I'll add them.

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stephen_dsouza profile image
Stephen D Souza

command is used to take that information you just fetched

Not sure if anyone has pointed it out but ‘git pull’ is a combo of ‘git fetch’ and ‘git merge’, so you don’t need to run a ‘git fetch’ before a pull.

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krishnaagarwal profile image
Krishna Agarwal

Yes, you are absolutely correct
Thanks for the point