How to use Git?
What is Git?
Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. Read More
Use a GUI
It is recommended to use a GUI for git. It provides a visual representation of the git repository as well as removes the need to use The Terminal. Some good GUIs for Git:
- SourceTree (free)
- GitKraken (free with education plan)
- GitHub Deskop (free)
Git Cheat Sheet
| Commands | Description |
|---|---|
git config --global user.name “[firstname lastname]” | set a name that is identifiable for credit when review version history |
git config --global user.email “[valid-email]” | set an email address that will be associated with each history marker |
git config --global color.ui auto | set automatic command line coloring for Git for easy reviewing |
git init | initialize an existing directory as a Git repository |
git clone [url] | retrieve an entire repository from a hosted location via URL |
git status | show modified files in working directory, staged for your next commit |
git add [file] | add a file as it looks now to your next commit (stage) |
git reset [file] | unstage a file while retaining the changes in working directory |
git diff | diff of what is changed but not staged |
git diff --staged | diff of what is staged but not yet commited |
git commit -m “[descriptive message]” | commit your staged content as a new commit snapshot |
git branch | list your branches. a * will appear next to the currently active branch |
git branch [branch-name] | create a new branch at the current commit |
git checkout | switch to another branch and check it out into your working directory |
git merge [branch] | merge the specified branch’s history into the current one |
git log | show all commits in the current branch’s history |
git log | show the commit history for the currently active branch |
git log branchB..branchA | show the commits on branchA that are not on branchB |
git log --follow [file] | show the commits that changed file, even across renames |
git diff branchB...branchA | show the diff of what is in branchA that is not in branchB |
git show [SHA] | show any object in Git in human-readable format |
git remote add [alias] [url] | add a git URL as an alias |
git fetch [alias] | fetch down all the branches from that Git remote |
git merge [alias]/[branch] | merge a remote branch into your current branch to bring it up to date |
git push [alias] [branch] | Transmit local branch commits to the remote repository branch |
git pull | fetch and merge any commits from the tracking remote branch |
git rm [file] | delete the file from project and stage the removal for commit |
git mv [existing-path] [new-path] | change an existing file path and stage the move |
git log --stat -M | show all commit logs with indication of any paths that moved |
git rebase [branch] | apply any commits of current branch ahead of specified one |
git reset --hard [commit] | clear staging area, rewrite working tree from specified commit |
git stash | Save modified and staged changes |
git stash list | list stack-order of stashed file changes |
git stash pop | write working from top of stash stack |
git stash drop | discard the changes from top of stash stack |
git config --global core.excludesfile [file] | system wide ignore patern for all local repositories |